Sarah Cade
by rosebaby
Summary: Sarah Cade, Johnny Cade's older sister, grew up with the greasers too. This is a story about why things happen to certain people, and why the greasers are the way they are. Watch my trailer for this fan fic on youtube . com /user/2rosebaby2
1. Chapter 1

Sarah Cade, dressed in a pink nightgown and her black hair up in a bun on the top of her head, walked into a small mint green kitchen and began cooking eggs and ham for her and her younger brother. The sixteen year old cracked the last two eggs over the rusty pan, and as they cooked she turned to take the last slice of ham from the fridge and placed it on another rusty pan over the stove. She hummed quietly to herself as the eggs and ham cooked over the stove. She imagined that today would be a wonderful day and that maybe, if she were really lucky, her parents wouldn't even fight today.

"G'morning Sarah!" The fifteen-year-old brother she had been making breakfast for walked from his room into the kitchen. "Dad didn't come home last night?" He asked warily.

"Nope." Sarah said taking a spatula and putting the eggs on a plate. One of the eggs slipped from the spatula and onto the floor. "Damn." She muttered under her breath. Placing the plate with the one egg on the table and picking the one up from the floor and placing it on another plate. "Five second rule!" she chimed, smiling.

"We should probably eat and get out of here soon right?" Johnny asked picking up a fork and quickly eating his eggs. "I don't want to be here when Dad gets back."

"You're probably right Johnny. Here." She took the ham from the stove and placed it on his plate.

"You have to eat too Sarah," Johnny said taking the ham and putting it on his sisters plate.

"You have to eat more kid. Add some meat to those bones!" Sarah said laughing placing the ham back on her brother's plate. "Plus I'm not hungry anyways. Steve took me out to dinner last night and I ate way too much." She lied. She had gone out with Steve Randle, but she hadn't eaten. Steve had taken a few beers from his father's fridge and him and Sarah had downed them at the vacant lot.

The two siblings ate the rest of their small but plentiful breakfast. When they were done Johnny got dressed in jeans a black t-shirt, while Sarah washed the dishes. When Johnny came back from his room and stood in the living room Sara couldn't help but smiling as the gleam of the living room light hit the top of Johnny's head making the grease he'd applied to his hair really show.

"I'm going to shoot over to the Curtis's Sarah! Pony's parents have gone away for a few weeks to take care of Mr. Curtis' mom." Sarah nodded in agreement. She had heard the Darry was taking care of the boys for a little while. Their grandmother was really ill up in Moore.

"I'll be along as soon as I get the chance. I'm just going to clean up around her a bit first." Sarah smiled as her brother walked out the door, letting it clatter behind him as he left.

The older Cade cleaned the rest of the dishes; placing them back in the cupboard she had taken them from. When she was done she quickly changed into Jeans and a white and navy striped T-shirt. She left her hair flowing loosely down her back as she walked back to the living room and began to clean the mess her parents had made that prior evening. She swept the dining room floor, and picked up the empty liquor bottles off the coffee table and from her fathers recliner. She took out the trash and brought in the mail. Placing the bills in a tin can atop the fridge.

She tiptoed past her mother's bedroom to get to Johnny's room, and was just about finished making his bed when she heard the front door clatter shut. "Johnny?" She questioned softly, not wanting to wake her mother. As she walked out of the room, she saw that it was not her young innocent brother who stood in the center of the living room, but her father. He was roaring drunk and stunk of sweat and dirt.

"Why are you here girl!?" He yelled taking a sloppy step towards her. Sarah stood absolutely still. Years of abuse had taught her that standing still was the easiest way to get a beating and also the most likely way of getting out of a beating alive.

"I said, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" He roared.

"I was cleaning sir. I was just finishing up." She whispered back, not looking him in the face, but instead down at her bare feet.

"You stole my liquor!" he accused, referring to the bottles missing from his chair.

Sarah shot a glance upwards, "No sir! They were empty, I just threw them in the trash." She felt her chest tighten, and a large rock form in the middle of her throat.

"I've had it with you girl!" he took another step forward and lifted his hand. "You stay the hell out of my house!" His hand came down upon her cheek with such force that she fell sideways against the wall, hitting her head. She cried out in pain, but didn't loose consciousness.

She only had to endure a few more blows before her father past out cold. As soon as he was out she ran from the house, tears gliding down her beet red cheeks. She felt the warm liquid in her hair that ment she must have been bleeding. Her running was anything but steady. She was disoriented, her head stinging from where she had hit it against the wall. She wasn't quite sure where she was running to. Did Johnny say he was going to see the Curtis's or was he going to the convenience store? Sarah couldn't remember, so she decided against going to the Curtis's. She hated seeing Johnny worry about her, and she definitely didn't want him to see her like this.

Sarah began to slow down, her eyes wanted to close and her feet had begun to hurt as well. Sarah cursed lowly under her breath as she looked down at her feet. They were bleeding too. She sat down on the curb in front of a small white house where an elderly couple lived and began to pick the shards of glass from her feet. She was amused that she hadn't felt herself stepping on the glass as she ran. She assumed it was because of her high adrenaline rate, or the fact that her head was pounding so hard that it really helped to forget any other pain.

Sarah got lightheaded after picking the last shard of glass out of her left foot. The amount of blood leaving her head and foot at the same time made her quite nauseated, and she began to feel as though she was loosing consciousness.

"Sarah!?" She heard her name called, but couldn't force her eyes open. That was when she felt her head hit the soft grass. She had completely toppled over and now who ever had yelled her name was over top of her, and touching her head.

"Dammit! OW!" Sarah screamed as, whoever was checking her over touched the gash in her head. "That hurts!"

"Well damn, Sarah I could have guessed that!" the voice shot back angrily. This voice was tuff. Sarah could tell right off who it was.

"Dallas Winston!?" Sarah tried to open her eyes, but she couldn't. "Get your dirty hands off me!"

"Dumb broad..." he muttered lifting her up.

"Put me down!" she insisted, but she couldn't put up much of a fight. She felt her feet going numb and it was only a matter of seconds before she was out cold.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

Sarah's POV

"It's only three stitches." I assured my brother as I sat down on the steps outside the Curtis' home. It was another sunny, summer afternoon on the North side of town. I'd gotten out of the hospital last night and Johnny and I had spent the night with Darry, Soda and Ponyboy.

To tell you the truth, yesterday had been pretty lousy. I'd been taken to the hospital, against my will (by a very strong, Dallas Winston). Dally literally left me unconscious at the hospital with some paramedic who was only doing his training. I'd woken up later, around dinnertime, in a hospital room as bland as butter and bread. It was explained to me that the hit on the head that I'd received from a "baseball" had caused my momentary black out, and that they had only added three stitches to the gash.

I was grateful when they'd discharged me soon after seven o'clock. I took a bus back to my side of town, even though I knew I wouldn't go home. On the bus ride home, I decided that Dally had probably already informed Johnny and the Curtis' of my mishap, so I ended up at the Curtis' door, asking to spend the night.

"You should have left the house sooner." Two-Bit said quietly. He was the most upset about what had happened. Two- Bit usually took on a bit more responsibility for me then he should. Probably because when I was twelve I thought he was the love of my life and he'd had to break it to me that he didn't have the same feelings. Ever since then, he'd taken on an older brother role in my life. More then once he'd run to my house and told me that my dad was heading up the street and that I better scatter before he got home.

"I know that now." I muttered.

"Well I'm just glad it was only three stitches!" Steve exclaimed as he came out of the Curtis home with a cancer stick. Steve and I had a special relationship. We were not a couple; at least, we didn't see it that way. We were more like best friends that kiss. Not a couple! Just friends that kiss, because, well, Steve has a few girlfriends already, so we kept our relationship along the lines of friends, but we added a few bits of friendly romance here and there. I do like Steve, what girl wouldn't? He's handsome, with his brown hair in that disarray of complicated swirls. Again… just friends!

"Yeah, remember the time you got ten stitches on your knee because you were running after that stray dog." Ponyboy, the youngest of all of us, reminded me.

"Oh yeah." I blushed, how embarrassing that day had been. Two years ago I had found this stray dog, and chased it, trying to get a hold of him and take him home. Well I tripped over a crack in the pavement at one point and split my knee open. It was a pretty bad cut, and it took ten stitches to put back together.

"What about that time when she tried to show off by jumping out of the tree by the vacant lot?" Soda said laughing. Another bad injury, and a stupid fault on my behalf too. I had jumped from that tree last year, trying to prove to Soda and Steve that I could do whatever they did! It turned out I couldn't. I broke three toes and sprained my ankle.

"Hey remember that time at the Dingo where you had that allergic reaction to kiwi?" Laughed Johnny. The gang turned to look at me. They didn't know about this one. How embarrassing!

"You're allergic to kiwi?" Pony asked trying not to laugh.

"You found out at the Dingo? How the hell did you manage that one?" Steve questioned.

I bit down on my lip and glared at my brother. This story was super embarrassing, a story I would liked to have kept between Johnny and myself. "Well I wasn't necessarily at the Dingo. I was more like, _outside_ the Dingo." I clarified, knowing that the guys would never stop bugging me about it if I didn't tell them. "I had just gotten back from that little market over west, I had bought some fruit, we were really running low on groceries. I'd never had kiwi before and it looked good, so I, um, well I took it out of the bag and used my switch blade to peel a bit off and ate some."

"That's it?" Soda asked bored.

"No, tell 'em what happened next." Johnny piped.

I rolled my eyes and spoke as fast as I could, "My face swelled to double its size and I had little pink dots all over my face." I squeezed my eyes shut as the roar of laughter echoed through out what could have been, the whole city.

"Double the size?" I heard Two-Bit laugh.

"Pink dots?" Steve asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," I muttered as a light blush crept up across my cheeks. It was like being saved by the bell when Darry's voice called from inside the house.

"Pony! Soda! Mom's on the phone! She wants to talk to you!" Soda and Pony both got up and ran for the phone, racing to see who could get there first. By the sound of triumph, I could tell that Pony had beaten his older brother in the race.

"So Sarah, what do you say to going to a movie tonight?" Steve asked, forgetting instantly about my allergic-reaction-to-kiwi story.

"I'd say that sounds like fun. You should ask Soda if he wants to come too." Soda was a lot of fun to hang out with at the drive in, always jokin' and such.

"Already did, he's all for it." Steve said coolly. Steve was really tuff. Tuff and tough, if you were seen with him, you were pretty well off. Well, what I mean to say is, that most of them Socs didn't bother Steve that much.

"Sounds like fun, can I go?" Johnny asked. I looked to my little brother, I'd preferred he didn't go. I didn't want him to see Steve and I kissing later that evening, and I would rather him not witness any scraps that might erupt at the movie.

"Hey Johnny, you know I love ya, but maybe not tonight." I said messing his hair, "There might be a scrap or something going on, I don't want you in on that stuff."

Johnny met my gaze with one of disgust, "I'm only a year younger than Steve and not that much younger than Soda. I want to be in on it too!" His dark, handsome eyes, melted mine, and I knew I was going to give in.

"Fine. But if something happens to you, I'm goin' to skin ya, you hear?" I smiled and jumped up and off the step I had been sitting on. "I'll meet you guys there later then? Around dark?" I asked beginning to walk up the road.

"Yeah! At dark! We'll be walking in!" I heard Steve yell. I waved good bye and kept walking.

A/N: Hope you guys are enjoying this. It is the first story I've ever posted on (Not the first story I've written though). If you find anything wrong within the details please let me know! And I'm using some details from the film as well, so if you find something that's different from the book, I've probably gotten it from the film. Thanks!! R/R!!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

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**Sarah's POV**

Man was it cold! For being summer in Tulsa you wouldn't expect you need a heavy-duty winter coat, but man did it ever feel like it! I'd just made it through the line up in the concession stand, dreading the walk back outside into the cold air. If Johnny, Steve and Soda weren't waiting out there for me I would so be gone by now.

It didn't take long before I was sitting back between Steve and Johnny and sharing my popcorn with them. I was slightly annoyed tonight. I don't know if it was the aftermath of the hit to the head, or the fact that once I'd left Steve and Johnny on the Curtis' porch (hoping to get into my house before my dad came back home) that my mom threw what little of my clothes she didn't wear herself out onto the dirt road and slammed the door in my face. That's right, Johnny's welcome back home, but I'm not. Why? Because I left Dad passed out on the couch, and when he woke up, he gave mom a beating for letting me out of the house. So, Sarah Cade is officially homeless.

"Sarah, what are you thinking about?" Johnny whispered into my ear. It made me jump slightly, and the popcorn flipped out of my hand. I swore lightly under my breath and kicked the popcorn bag under the seat ahead of me.

"Nothing Johnny! Just shut up and watch the movie." I hated myself the second those words left my mouth. Johnny's eyes twisted into a sadness I felt instantly guilty as he turned back to the screen, not glancing in my direction again.

I sat out the rest of the movie in silence. Even during the scary parts, I didn't once jump and pretend to be afraid to make Steve feel like he could comfort me. Every time Steve touched my hand I jerked it away, and every time he leaned in to kiss me, I turned away. I wasn't mad at Steve, as much as it seemed that way. I was much too mad at myself to even feel anything.

It felt like my life had just shot down the toilet in less than 24 hours. Where was I going to sleep tonight? I knew I shouldn't be worrying about it, the Curtis' were so generous I knew they'd let me stay the night there, and Two-Bit would probably offer me a place to sleep too, but I didn't want to sleep at their houses. I wanted to sleep in _my _bed, make breakfast for _my_ brother, and take the beating that was coming for _me_! What if I woke up tomorrow and Johnny was in the exact same state as I am today?

"It's over, thank god!" Steve stretched out, hands behind his head and legs straight out onto the chair (which was unoccupied) in front of him. "That movie was boring."

I nodded in agreement, though I hadn't paid any attention to the film. It was then that I noticed that Soda was no longer sitting next to Steve. "Hey, where'd Soda go?" I asked stupidly, and slightly worried.

"With Sandy. Why? You worried about him?" Steve asked. He was disgusted with me, and you could tell by the way he talked. When I didn't reply Steve stood up and asked Johnny, "Want me to walk you home Jonnycake?" Johnny looked at me, hurt still evident in his eyes, and he muttered a 'yes'.

The two walked away from me. Leaving me there. Leaving me for the very first time! I'd never felt so alone. I knew, however, that I would have done the same thing to Steve if he'd been acting the way I had. I got up of the severely uncomfortable chair, and began to walk to the Dingo. I needed a drink, and I needed one now. I sauntered down the street, not even glancing at the cars filled with people as they passed. Not that I cared much who was in a car. Not many Socs were headed in the direction I was.

It didn't take long before I was walking in to the dimly lit Dingo. Even though I was only fifteen, it wasn't that hard to get one of the older guys to by me a drink.

"You're looking pretty tonight Sarah." said Tommy Day, a blond haired green eyed greaser whom I'd known for a long time. If you wanted something you couldn't get, like booze for under age drinkers like me, then you go see Tommy.

"Thanks Tom." I smiled sitting on his lap as I tipped the alcohol drink to my lips.

"No problem Cookie." He leaned in and grabbed the beer from my hand. I glared, missing the taste of the beverage.

"Tom, come on, give it back." I whined leaning into him and placing my forehead on his.

Our eyes locked, his green with my blue. A smile spread across my face as he leaned in and kissed me. It ment nothing, and I knew it. A passionate filled kiss induced by alcohol, but in the moment it felt so good. I grabbed the back of his head pulling him closer and with a crash to the floor he dropped my bottle of beer and placed his arms around my waist.

Our lips crushed each other's, and his hand had magically found it's way to the clasp on my bra. As obvious as the two of us making out was, no one seemed to notice. This sort of thing happened so often that the only thing that might get a rise out of 'em is if we interrupted their pool game by having sex on the pool table.

I wouldn't have been surprised if what we were doing lead to that, but I guess I'll never know, because just before Tom was about to relieve me of my bra, I was pulled back.

"What the hell are you doing?" Tom stood up and grabbed my shoulders, pulling me back towards him.

"You know what I'm doing Tom, and you better leave her alone before you wish you were in hell." _That _voice, the voice I despised, spoke from behind me, his hands pulling me closer to him and farther away from Tom.

"Dallas Winston, Fuck Off!" I turned around and was met with the bare chest of Dallas Winston. I looked up and my eyes met his ice-cold ones and it felt as if my blood had run cold. He didn't even blink when I spoke; it was like I hadn't said a thing.

"You want a scrap Winston? I'll give you a good shiner to look at in the mirror tomorrow." Tom pulled me back to him and I turned away from Dallas.

"Leave it be Tom." I pushed against his chest, just hard enough for him to get the idea and sit back down. It wasn't that I didn't think Tom could give Dallas a very nice shiner to worry about, it was just that I knew Tom probably wouldn't be able to brag about it tomorrow morning.

Turning back to Dally I spat, "Happy?" and walked in the direction of the pool table. As I walked away I heard Tom begin to protest, but he didn't put up much a fight, like I said before, passion induced by alcohol means nothing.

I grabbed a pool stick, with absolutely no intention to play and just stood there and pretended to be interested. I could tell he was watching me, I instinctively looked around and jump about 5 inches in the air when it turned out he was standing next to me, leaning up against the wall. The pool stick clattered to the floor and a smirk crept across his painfully arrogant face.

"What do you want now?" I breathed, not bothering to pick the pool stick up.

"I want to know why you're out here so late at night." He questioned coldly.

I looked up at the clock above the fireplace and was a little shocked to see it showing 2 o'clock…AM. "It's not late." I said, attitude leaking through every word I spoke, "It's early."

He rolled his eyes, as if he were dealing with a two year old. I took offense to this. He didn't need to be here, and I sure as hell didn't want him here.

"What I ment was, why aren't you home with your brother?" Such a simple question to ask but I hated him even more for asking it.

"I don't have a home." The last word caught in my throat and I felt my voice break. It wasn't long until those conniving, betraying tears of mine found their way to the surface and began to trickle down my cheeks. I felt cold all over, and fatigue began to take its toll on my body. My sobs were soft, but Dallas could hear them. I felt weak. I felt weak for crying and I felt even worse for showing my true emotions in front of Dallas Winston.

I felt like running away but found that my legs would no longer work. That was when he grabbed me and pulled me to his chest. My sobs didn't stop, and I didn't push him away. He was so warm, even without a shirt the heat just radiated off him. He didn't flinch when my tears trickled down his chest and he pretty much carried me up the stairs to one of the empty rooms once people had started to notice me.

It did take long before my body and mind shut down and I fell asleep on top of the blue linen bed.

A/N: Hope you liked it! I'd love to hear what you think and if you have any constructive criticism lay it on me!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Sarah's POV 

My eyes fluttered open and my hands went to hold my aching head. I searched around the room for something familiar, seeing as I had no memory of this place. The sheets I lay under were blue, and there was a lamp on a small table next to the bed. I closed my eyes again and lay back against the pillow. That's when it flooded back to me. No home, Steve and Johnny leaving me at the movies, Tom and I drinking, and Dallas Winston bringing me up here.

I cursed Dallas under my breath. Who did he think he was anyway? I quickly jumped out of the bed, truly happy when I found that all my clothes were still on my body. I must have been pretty sick last night for him to have just left me in the bed. I'm sure no other virgin had slept in Dallas's bed and had come out the same the next morning. Before he could come back and find me awake I walked down the stairs finding that the people from last night had cleared, apart from the greasers who'd passed out.

I recognized Tom out of the corner of my eye. It would have been in my nature to leave him there, but the black eye he sported held my curiosity.

"Tom?" I questioned, tiptoeing over to him. His closed eyes shot open, well, one of his eyes opened. "What happened to you?" I questioned kneeling in front of the chair he sat in.

"Nothing important." He yawned rubbing his black eye by accident and swearing out loud.

A rush of fury swept through me as I realized whom Tom and probably received the shiner from. "Did Dallas do this?"

"You know Sarah, I thought you knew better." He went to get up but I stood before he could, and pushed him back into the chair. He was too hung over to fight back.

"Know better about what?" I yelled, anger seeping out of my voice.

"Dallas Winston?" He chuckled to himself, "How was the fuck?"

It took a minute for me to totally comprehend what he had said. When I did, I slapped him. "You're a jerk Tom Day!" He laughed some more, as he rubbed his left cheek.

"After you two went at it last night, he came down from the room and decided to beat the hell out of me." His chuckle had turned deadly, "Lucky for me the police were called. I'd probably be dead if they hadn't showed up and arrested him." It was then that I really saw what a snake Tom was. What greaser called the fuzz on fellow grease?

"You should have died Tom." With that I walked away and out into the warm summer morning.

As I walked back in the direction of the Curtis' house I began to think of all the reasons I hated Dallas Winston, and what had caused my hate in the first place. Well the second question wasn't that hard to answer. When he'd come back from New York, I was fourteen. It hadn't taken Dallas too long to start hitting on me, even though I was young, so was he. I'd fallen for him. What girl wouldn't? He was handsome! He still is, only now I see him in a different light from back then. We were together quite often, he was still pretty cold (a few years in prison and in New York could do the to a person) but I had had plans to change that, until I found him with _her. _It didn't take long until I realized how many girlfriends he really had. And that's how it ended.

Since then I've hated Dallas. He does the stupidest things, and he's just an awful person! Now he was in jail because he picked a fight with Tom. So now he was stupid and in jail, what a combination! Unpleasant memories faded away when I reached Two Bit's house. I decided to stop in for a visit.

I knocked on the front door and when nobody answered I let myself in. I knew Two Bit's mom would be working, and that he'd probably been out drinking last night. Sure enough, when I got inside and into the living room, Two Bit was passed out on the couch. I smiled sympathetically, he really needed to cut back on the booze. I walked into the bathroom and grabbed a cloth from the top shelf over the sink. I wet it with cold water and went back to tend to Two Bit.

I placed the cool cloth on his forehead and went into the kitchen. Opening the fridge I noticed that he was as low on groceries as my fridge had been. There was however, a few eggs and some cheese. As funny as it may seem, I knew where everything was at Two Bit's. I had the eggs scrambling on the stove before too long, and was adding the grated cheese to make an even more delicious breakfast for Two Bit.

When the eggs were finished I put them on a plate and turned off the stove. I took the eggs to Two Bit, who was still asleep on the couch. I sighed and placed the plate on the coffee table and kneeled down by Two Bit's head. I took the cloth and began to wipe his cheeks. He began to stir and mumble different words so I took the cloth away and propped his head up with a pillow.

"Sarah?" I smiled as his eyes opened. I saw so many questions behind those eyes, and I knew I was in for a serious interrogation.

"Hey Two Bit. Hungry?" I took the plate from the table and handed it to him, hoping to delay the questioning. He took it happily.

"I haven't had breakfast, like breakfast breakfast, in weeks." He laughed shoveling the egg into his mouth.

"Well maybe you should go grocery shopping." I said as I pushed his legs over the couch and sat next to him.

"Shoot Sarah, that's mom's job." He laughed, and I laughed too. He placed the plate back on the coffee table when he was done and put his hand on my shoulder. "Are you okay?" he asked softly. Okay so when Two bit interrogated someone it was in a very nice manner, but I still didn't like the question he asked.

I looked up at him, my thoughts blank. The obvious response came out with a non-satisfying 'yes'.

"Sarah," he said my name so softly it sounded like the wind, "I know about what happened… at home." I felt my chest tighten, and my eyes begin to sting. "You know the gang will look after you right. You and Johnny." He touched my face with his large hands, and turned me towards him.

"Johnny needs help more than I do." I choked, "I'm free, he's still in a cage."

"We'll all look after him, but I know that's not how you feel. As bad as your parents treat you, I know you miss home." He said rubbing my back.

"Two Bit, I just feel like, I have nothing." I sniffed and wiped my nose.

"You've got everything!" He said sternly, "you don't need people who won't care for you, you've got me, and Steve and Johnny and the rest of the gang."

A sob escaped my throat as I thought of Johnny and Steve. "They don't care now either. I pushed them away Two Bit. I yelled at Johnny and was completely cold to Steve." My breathing became uneven as more tears slipped down my cheeks.

"Their going to forgive you Sarah, you know that. Everyone knows you've got it rough right now." Two Bit said trying to calm me down.

"No Two Bit, listen to what I'm saying!" I was so upset I hadn't noticed the volume of my voice rising, "I'm cold! Last night I didn't care about anyone!" Those words caught in my throat. They were so true, and the same truth applied to Dallas Winston. "Oh my god!" I cried placing my face in my hands and sobbing even more hysterically.

"Sarah, calm down." Two Bit was beginning to get a little frightened by my sudden sobbing fit. 'Everything's okay, You do care, isn't it obvious, look what you did for me this morning."

I looked up at Two Bit and the tears began to slip noiselessly down my cheeks. That's why Two Bit didn't have love for me. Instead, he felt love for me. He took me and held me in his arms, like Dallas had done, only this felt very different. This was a brother hugging me. Someone who never wanted me to hurt and who would always be there as a father figure, and brother. Someone I could look up to. With Dally it had been different. It was warm, unfamiliar, and something else I couldn't quite figure out.

After my eyes had dried out I let out a pathetic laugh, "Two Bit, let's not tell anyone about my blubbering okay?"

He laughed and messed my hair, " Okay kid." I pushed his shoulder and he stood up laughing as he skipped out of the house. I heard a large thud, and laughed even harder when I realized that it was Two Bit falling down the front stairs.

_**A/N: Hey I hope you enjoyed this chapter! It's one of my favorite, because I Love Two Bit! If you have anything to say about this chapter please leave me a review!**_


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Warning- Rated M! This chapter contains sexual content! Sarah's POV 

Two Bit and I laughed the whole way to the Curtis's house. Even though it wasn't far away, by the time we got there our stomachs were aching from laughing so hard. When I saw Darry, Pony, Soda, Steve and Johnny all outside the Curtis house is when I remembered the football game. Every weekend the gang would get together and have a fun football game. It was like a tradition. The game had already started when we showed up, and it looked like Steve and Soda were playing against Pony, Johnny, and Darry, an unfair team, because Darry really equaled five guys.

"Two Bit come to our team!" Soda yelled, and Two Bit joined the game too.

I walked around the boys as they played, not wanting to interfere. I sat on the stairs and watched the game play out. When the game was over (I think Darry's team won) the boys came to join me on the stairs. Darry sat on the porch swing with Soda. Steve sat beside me with his back up against the post, Two Bit sat on the stair blew me, and Johnny and Pony sat on my other side.

Now was my time to apologize, I knew that by now they already knew what had gone down last night. "Johnny I'm sorry about last night, and snapping at you." Johnny looked up as I hugged him tight. My little brother hugged me back and it felt like my world might begin to fall back into order.

"It's okay Sarah, I know you're upset." I kissed him on the cheek and then pushed him away playfully.

"You're such a kid brother." I teased as I leaned into Steve's open arms. I turned my head and whispered into Steve's ear, "I'm sorry about what I did last night."

Steve took my hand and began to intertwine them. "It's okay, I'm sorry I left you. But, hey!" he spoke up a bit more, "None of us expected for you to go running to ole Dally!"

The gang all laughed and agreed. Man I hated news getting around so fast, and false news at that! "Nothing happened between Dally and I!" I clarified, "He took me away from the fun downstairs and left me in his room where I passed out on his bed."

"Sure…" Soda looked at me rolling his eyes.

"Honestly! He left me in the room after awhile and went and beat Tom up. Didn't you wonder why he was in jail?" The gang stopped. Laughing and jokes ceased. I wondered what I'd said wrong.

"Dallas is in jail?" Johnny asked. As much as I hated Dallas, it seemed that Johnny had taken a liking to him.

"Didn't you know that? Tom called the police because Dallas almost killed him." I explained.

"Why would Dally start a fight with Tom Day? He knows what a dirty rat that guy is." Said Steve as he turned to the gang, wondering if any of them had the answer.

"Can't you take a guess Stevo?" Soda said. The gang, once again went quiet. Like they all knew something I didn't.

This bothered me, so I stood up. "Hey Darry, need any help cleaning up? Your parents should be home in a few days right?"

"Oh yeah, I guess we should probably clean up." He stood up and pushed Sodapop up as well. "Hey Pony, Soda, you better get cleaning, you know what mom'll say when she gets back and sees you've ruined the house."

"Oh shoot Darry, I don't want to clean!" Soda complained, but he traipsed inside anyways, as did Ponyboy. I followed them in too. The house needed a woman's touch after three boys had lived it in for two weeks.

We'd cleaned up a good deal of the house by the time Pony and Soda collapsed on the sofa. They really did the best they could for boys. Darry on the other hand had helped me clean the windows, and wash the clothes. I felt sad thinking that next year Darry wouldn't be around, that he'd be off to college on the football scholarship. Don't get me wrong, I was so happy for him! But I really was going to miss him.

Once I'd finished vacuuming the dining room Darry was at my side. "Sarah, thanks a lot for helping out." He said honestly, "Those two don't get much done."

"Hey, they made their bed!" I defended. Darry laughed, and placed the vacuum on the other side of the room. "You know Darry," I started. I realized that I wanted him to know that I was going to miss him. "You're going to be missed when you go."

He looked at me, his eyes pained, "I'm going to miss you too, and all the other guys."

"You're lucky though Darry! You're going to make something of yourself. You're going to get out of this hell hole and actually go to college!" I exclaimed. He was so lucky.

"Sarah," he said coming over to me and looking me straight in the face, "You'll get a chance to go to college too, and you'll take it."

I rolled my eyes, "Darry, unfortunately my family genetics aren't too wealthy on the smart side of things." It was true; I wasn't school smart. I knew the basics, and I knew how to read, but I wasn't anywhere near being an A+ student.

"Don't say things like that." Darry scolded, so much like a father would scold a young child. "You'll get out, whether on a school bus, train, or plane, you won't be here for long." He smiled and messed my hair like Two Bit had done earlier. "Don't give up kid, you're like a little sister to me, I won't let you put yourself down."

I gave Darry a hug and made up some lame excuse as to why I had to leave. When I left Darry's I walked towards Bernie's Convenience store. I had fifty cents and was probably going to buy some licorice or something. The worst thing about the convenience store was that it was awfully close to the Soc part of town. Just a few weeks ago a couple of Greasers and some Socs had been fighting just across the street from Bernie's Convenience.

I kept my head high, and put my hair in a tight back ponytail. I tried to look as tough as I could. I walked into the convenience store, said a polite hello to the cashier, and grabbed some licorice. I looked over my shoulder nervously hoping that it would be my lucky day and no Socs would show up. I paid the cost of the licorice and starting eating one of them as I walked out of the store. That's when the black Corvair pulled up in front of the store.

The boys, two blond and one black haired guy, got out of the car laughing and hollering. They wore madras and rich boy sandals. I cursed the birth of every one of them because they seemed to know exactly where to park, right by where I had to walk to get back to the gang. They hadn't noticed me yet, I prayed they wouldn't, and I decided that all I had to do was inconspicuously walk by them. The blond haired kid with the blue shirt was sitting on top of the hood of his car, as the other two watched and laughed along in a joke I had not heard.

I kept a far distance from the car, and felt a brief pang of hope when none of them seemed to notice me walking by. I'd made it about five feet passed the car when one of them whistled and the other cried out, "Hey you! Little broad!" The blond haired guy with the blue shirt hopped off his car and began to walk over to me. I kept walking. Maybe if he thought I couldn't hear him he'd leave me alone thinking I was deaf. However, like most of my ingenious plans, this one didn't work.

Once he'd caught up to me, he grabbed my shoulder and spun me around. "Look boys, we've found ourselves a greaser." I knocked his hand off my shoulder and stepped back. "Aw, don't be afraid," his face made my heart race, and not in that lovey heart racing way either, but in the way your heart races when you could very well be taking your last breath in just seconds.

"Greg, what are you going to do with a girl like her?" The black haired boy had walked over to where we stood, and the other blond haired boy wasn't far behind him.

"Oh, just have some fun." Greg said stepping close to me and wrapping his arm around my waist.

"Get Off!" I yelled pushing him away. He raised his eyebrow at the force of my shove.

"Looks like she's a bit too much for you to handle Greg." The blond spoke for the first time. He was the youngest of the three, maybe even my age.

"Shut up Bob!" Greg shouted turning back to me. "We'll see who's too much for who." With that he grabbed me again this time hauling me towards his car.

"Hey Greg! It's not even dark! You can't do anything in the day!" the brown haired kid yelled out chasing after Greg and I. I struggled trying to get out of his tight grasp, but nothing worked.

"I'll just take her around back Pat!" Greg yelled to his friend. I pleaded with him to just let me go, and he laughed. Opening the door to his black car he pushed me in behind the back seat.

"Let me out, Please!" I begged. I kicked and thrashed in the back seat of the car as he sat in the driver's seat and pulled around to the back of the store. The back of the store was completely vacant. He put the car in park and yelled out the window to the other guys to keep watch, and then he turned back to face me.

"You know, if you hadn't pushed me away I doubt this would have happened." He mumbled leaning over his seat, "but you see, I always get what I want." With that he maneuvered himself over his seat and on top of me in the back seat.

"Get Off!" I screamed and pushed his face away from me as he tried to kiss me. I yelled for help, but it seemed like my cries for someone to save me would go unanswered. I kept yelling for help and that's when his hand came down on my right cheek. My voice caught in my throat out of shock, and it felt like I'd never be able to speak again. Greg pulled a piece of fabric from his shorts pocket and shoved it in my mouth. As much as I tried I couldn't get it out, and after he placed my hands under my own body and pressed himself to me, it seemed that using my hands to get the fabric from my mouth would no longer work either.

I felt him push my shirt up and my legs kicked when he went to unbutton my jean shorts. The hot tears ran down my cheeks and I wished a thousand times that I was dead. I closed my eyes when it finally hit me that there was nothing I could do, that this was going to happen all because I wanted licorice. I closed my eyes and tried to think of something else, anything else. That's when I heard the voices of Bob and Pat yelling at Greg.

They were telling him to get me out of the car, but before Greg could get off me, someone had opened the car door and had thrown him off. I opened my eyes then, and now that I was free from Greg's hold took the gag from my mouth and got out the other side of the car. I fell to the ground on the other side of the car and held myself tight around the stomach. My pants were unzipped, and my bra unclasped. I pulled my shirt back over my stomach and began to rock back and forth on the ground. I was still crying, but no sound escaped my lips. I kept my eyes closed, not wanting to see Greg, or any of the other boys.

I heard the wheels of the car spinning as the black corvair took off, and flinched when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Shhh…." It hit me then that the hand on my shoulder was my savior. I opened my eyes, and realized that my hero was none other then Dallas Winston. "It's okay now Sarah, they're gone, they'll never touch you again." He touched the undone buttons of my shorts and did them back up. He then picked me up and carried back to our safe side of town.

_**A/N: Please leave me a review!!**_


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

_**Sarah's POV**_

I cried on his shoulder the whole way home. He never said anything except the comforting "sh"s. He held me close to his chest, very protective like, and I clung to him as hard as I could. How was it the Dallas Winston had come to be the man I clung to? He had indeed saved my life, and more than once. Why had I always detested him? Because he was young and foolish, much like every boy his age?

My eyes were closed, puffy and red thanks to my non stop crying. I hadn't been able to see where we were going but I heard a door open and I also heard it clatter close. I heard whispers of "what happened?" and Dally saying "I'm gunna put her in the shower." A shower? That would be nice. I felt Dally open another door and close it behind him with his foot. He sat down and placed me on his lap. Taking my face in his hand and turning it towards him. I opened my eyes, it hurt slightly because the light was leaking in through the open windows.

"Do you want me to undress you?" he questioned.

I didn't know how to answer. The being whom had been the cause of pain in my past was asking to take off my clothes. Then again, this was also the man who had saved me, and who was offering to help me into the shower. I nodded my head and began to help him, help me, take off my top. He pulled the bottom of my shirt up and over my head. He didn't go near my bra but went to undue the buttons on my pants. He sat me on the counter of the sink and pulled them off. He turned away as I sat on the counter with only my undergarments on, and went to start the shower.

He helped me down from the counter, my legs still felt like they wouldn't hold my weight. Then, me in my undergarments and him fully clothed, we got in the shower. I let the water pour down my face, and he held me there, being completely patient. He ran his fingers through my hair and shampooed it for me also. Then taking a wash cloth washed my abdomen and back.

My strength was beginning to return and I turned to face him. "Thank you." I said hugging him tightly.

"I'll get out so you can wash properly now." he said opening the shower curtain and getting out. His clothes sopping wet dripped onto the tile floor.

I watched him leave, closing the door behind him. I felt like I'd lost something. My heart began to race faster and faster. I relieved myself of my undergarments and began to wash myself everywhere. Scrubbing as hard as I could. Even after I'd finished scrubbing I let the water pour over me. I sat in the tub and placed my head in my hands and sobbed quietly to myself. I felt like I'd never get over what happened. How close someone had come to stealing my virtue. I didn't hear the door to the bathroom open but I did hear a calm voice ask,

"Sarah, do you want me to help you get out of the shower."

I sighed as I opened the shower curtain and saw Sodapop Curtis. I stood, fully naked, and he rapped a blue towel around me. He helped me out of the shower, and let me lean on him as I walked out of the bathroom. Soda was someone I felt 100 comfortable around. Not that I felt uncomfortable around the others, but with Soda there was just something different. I could be undressed and he would do exactly as he had done, rap a towel around me.

He took me to the room him and Ponyboy shared and sat me on the bed. He quickly ran over to the drawers of clothes and took out sweet pants and a t-shirt. Bringing them back over to me I dressed myself. I put my hair up in the towel I had used to dry myself off and looked down at my knees.

"Sarah, I don't want to make you upset any more then you already are, but what happened?" He put his arm around my shoulder.

My eyes shot up to him. Had Dally not told them what had happened? "Did Dally-"

"He told us nothing. He took some clean clothes from Darry and left."

Dally had left? Was my knight in shining armor just an act? "He's gone?" My eyes began to fill with tears once more. How was I crying again? Hadn't I already cried myself dry?

"He said he had some unfinished business to attend to, but Sarah, what happened?" Soda rubbed my arms reassuringly.

"Oh Soda," I sniffed and rested my head on his shoulder. "These guys tried..." my voice caught in my throat. "They wanted me..._he _wanted me. He wanted to take me. He wanted to steal the only thing I have left to give. He wanted it for lust." My words were hard to understand between all my sobs, but I knew Soda understood what I had said because suddenly he was holding me as tight as he could and for several seconds I believed that we'd stay like that forever.

"Sarah," he whispered my name and put his lips to my head. "We'll never let you out of our sight again." He paused, "We'll never let them forget what they did either." That's when it dawned on him. He looked at me warily and then let me go. "Sarah, how many were there?"

"Three." I mouthed.

Soda jumped up and walked out of the room leaving me there. He yelled to Darry and they exchanged words I could not hear. I did hear however, the sound of the door crashing against the wood frame. Soda walked back to me and held me again in his arms.

I realized then that Darry had left, he had left to stop Dally from killing those Socs. I looked to Soda and saw something very different in his eyes. Darry hadn't gone to stop Dally, he'd gone to help.

"Soda, they shouldn't. It's their side of town not ours." I said shaking.

'They'll get what they've got coming to 'em Sarah. No one will ever get away with something like that. Never!" He rubbed my back and I felt myself wavering off into unconsciousness.

I awoke late in the evening. I turned and felt a body next mine. It was Ponyboy. His young face was peaceful in slumber, as should everyone's. I was under the sheets and didn't wish to wake Ponyboy so I laid there thinking.

If Ponyboy was here, then that must mean that Darry is okay. This thought made my nerves calm. But Pony never cared too much for Dallas after what had happened between me and him. What if something had happened to Dally? My breathing became uneven.

"Sarah?" the voice made me jump. I looked down over the edge of the bed and Soda was sitting up. He had been sleeping on the floor.

"Soda is Dally okay?" I asked reaching for his hand.

"Yes," he took my hand and rubbed his thumb on my palm. "I can't say the same thing for those Socs though." He smirked and yawned.

"What time is it?" this random thought came to mind, and I asked it.

Soda chuckled a tired laugh, "1:30 in the morning."

I gasped, I'd woken Soda at 1:30 in the morning. "I'm sorry for waking you."

"Don't ever be sorry for something so foolish. Now go back to sleep, you need it." He kissed my hand and let it go, resting his head on the pillow that was lying on the floor.

As much as I tried, I could n't get to sleep. I laid there thinking of everything that had happened in my life. What a short life it's been and how much I've been through. Not many people my age have raised their younger sibling, have been kicked out of their home and assaulted at age 16. But also, not many kids my age have a group of friends that would never turn their backs on you. That help you look after your brother, who give you a place to stay, and who save you from Satan.

I was startled from my thoughts when the phone began to ring. Someone calling at 1:30 in the morning? Something must be wrong. I heard Darry answer the phone with a sleepy "hello". After that I heard nothing more. 'Maybe I'm dreaming' I thought. No, this bed is much too hard to be in my dream. I quickly sat up, a bit too fast but I pushed the instant headache away to go see what was wrong with Darry.

I tiptoed out of the room, not wanting to wake Soda who seemed to have fallen back to sleep. I gasped however, when I saw Darry. His face was a pale green and he was no longer holding the phone. He had dropped it and it was hanging from its mount on the wall. His mouth was open and he was just staring at the wall. What had happened?

I ran the five steps it took me to get to his side and wrapped my arms around him. They didn't fit the whole way around his waist but I still felt like I was holding him together.

"Darry... what's wrong, you're scaring me." I said pushing my face into his chest.

He was still as limp as a rag doll, and didn't hug me back which was very unlike Darry. 'Please Darry."

I heard him swallow, and his eyes turned down to look at me. The sadness in his eyes was overwhelming. I'd never seen such sorrow. What cold possibly be causing him to look at me so.

"My parents..." he whispered, something catching in his throat. "They've been in an accident. They were heading home."

I felt my chest tighten, but relief swept over me when I realized that Mr. Curtis wouldn't die. Nor would Mrs. Curtis. They would heal in good time. Mr Curtis would be healed and out of the hospital telling jokes in no time. And Mrs Curtis would be making her homemade delicacies in just a few days.

"Darry, they'll be okay. Your parents will be fine all good time." I tried to add a smile to my worried facial features.

"No Sarah, they won't." he breathed, "They died."

It was the first time I'd ever seen Darry cry. The light tears just began trickiling down his face.I held him tighter, as the tears leaked down my cheeks too. Mr and Mrs Cutris couldn't die! The person on the phone had to have been lying! Mr and Mrs Curtis couldn't leave, because Soda and Pony need them when Darry leaves for college. I need them, I need them to come home and treat me like the adoptive daughter they always considered me. They can't just die! What is death anyways? A lame excuse for giving up? Someone of higher power's sick way of playing a prank? No, they aren't dead, they aren't, I know they aren't!

**A/N: This chapter was really hard for me to write. As you can tell, as I had updated pretty much everyday and this chapter is coming to you almost two weeks after I posted chapter 5 (Sorry for the wait). I tried to put a lot of feelings into this chapter as a few things that have happened in this chapter are based on true experiences. Thanks so much for reading and please review!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

_**Sarah's Point Of View**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, except the ones you don't recognize. **_

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The weeks after that night went by fast. I helped as much as I could, but it was still hard, especially for Darry. Not in my wildest dreams would I have expected what happened to have happened. Darry turned down his scholarship to college, got a job roofing houses, and turned cold, all in one week. It was a horrible sight to see, but I couldn't stop it, I was preoccupied with Ponyboy and Sodapop.

As I had no where to go, I stayed with the Curtis'. I cooked for them, and was there when Pony needed a shoulder to cry on.

"Pony, everything'll be alright." I held the young boy close. He was like a second brother to me, as he was one of Johnny's best friends too.

"There gone Sarah! How can that be!?" He cried his question, and I had no good answer.

"Everything happens for a reason Pony. Even bad things happen for a reason." I rubbed his back.

"How can you think that way? What could my parents death have an effect on besides my family becoming worse off?"

"I don't know Ponyboy, but you have to have faith. I know now isn't a great time to talk about faith, but you can't give up. Dammit! The last thing any of us needs is you turning rebellious. Right now you just need to sleep and think about your parents and how much they love you." I tucked Ponyboy under the covers and kissed his forehead.

As I walked out of the room despair washed over me. I lost hope, and everything I'd been saying to Ponyboy had no effect on me whatsoever. How were they going to make it through this?

I sat down in front of the television, not bothering to turn it on. I watched Sodapop and Darry walk up the front porch and welcomed them when they walked into the home. They had been meeting with the judge. Darry wanted his brothers to stay with him in their home. He didn't want them sent off to some boys home.

"How did it go?" I asked jumping up and hugging them both.

"Good, we get to stay!" Soda hugged me tight and whispered into my ear, "Someone's waiting outside for you Sarah." I looked at Soda confused but he just gave me a weak smile and trotted on through to the kitchen.

"I'm really glad you've been around Sarah. Thanks for keeping everything running in the house" Darry spoke softly. I looked up to him and felt my heart break. He had changed so much in the past few weeks. No longer the fun 19 year old I used to know. Instead he had grown over night into the 45 year old grown up I never thought he'd become.

"Darry, you're my family. Your parents treated me like I was there own. You don't need to thank me for anything." I hugged him tight. "There's some food on the stove, just heat it up and it'll be good." He nodded and followed Soda into the kitchen.

As for me, I walked outside. Who was waiting for me? Had Soda been pulling my leg? No, indeed he wasn't. I walked out to the road and saw Dally leaning on the hood of a car.

"Dally?" I asked, running up to him.

"Sarah, I'm sorry, I know it's late." he looked down at his watch, which read 12:30. "Well, not _extremely_ late, but late enough."

"What is it Dally?" I hadn't seen him around since Mr and Mrs Curtis's funeral and even then we hadn't talked. Actually, we hadn't talked since the night he'd rescued me from those Soc, the night Darry received the phone call.

"I've been so messed up. Everything's messed up Sarah." He said taking a step away from the car and putting his hands in his head. "They locked me up last week once they found out I was the one who beat up those bastards." Okay, so that answered my 'where has he been question'. "And now with Darry quitting school, and Soda getting a full time job at the DX, none of them are going to get anywhere."

"Dallas Winston? Are you caring about someone?"I asked pure shock on my face, however my voice leaked lethal venom.

"Sarah don't talk that way! Dammit! You know I care!" His fist came down on the car and I'm sure if there had of been a light shining I would have seen the dent he'd made.

"Dally, you don't care. You play hero every once and awhile, but you have never cared." I had two voices inside my head shouting. One telling me to stop, that Dally did care, he'd saved me twice and had been as gentle as anything. But the other voice screamed at me to remember the past and all the reasons he'd winded up in the cooler.

"Of all people I would have expected to have been able to talk to you!" he yelled.

"Me!? Why me!? After going through all of those girls, me being the one you so delicately started with. Not speaking to me for a few years, and then saving my life every damn time it needs saving!? Why the hell should I be the person you talk to!?" I yelled and screamed and I couldn't stop myself.

"Because Sarah! We're in the same position. Our parents don't want us! And our only real family just died! You've been so caught up with Soda and Pony, do you even know what Johnny's been doing?"

Strike! Straight to the heart. I hadn't been keeping tabs on Johnny. I didn't even know where he'd been sleeping. Actually, I'd only seen him when he'd come over to visit Ponyboy. I would have known if something had happened, but he should have been my first priority! "Where is he Dally?" I asked. I could feel my heart racing. What if they'd something had happened?

"Your dad beat him pretty bad the other night." Dally said, almost as if to rub it in.

"Why didn't he come to me? Wait," I thought for a minute, "He went to you!?"

"Who else?"

"Two Bit, Darry, Steve, Soda, Pony, Me! Anyone_ BUT_ you!"

"Why_ but_ me? I've always been there for Johnny. If I wasn't watching out for you, I was watching out for him."

"Dally," I lowered my voice, I felt bad now for saying those things to him, but I had one last thing to say. "I don't want him to be like you." I said it as nicely as possible. "Those times in the cooler have changed who you are, and I don't want Johnny to end up like that. You're a good person, but you've done a lot of wrong. I don't want Johnny to end up hard and cold, I want him to go somewhere after he's finished school here. I want him out of this town and somewhere where he can save lives and _be _someone."

Dally came closer to me, just one more footstep and I would be near enough to whisper in his ear. "Sarah, Johnny's not the only one with a future like that."

"What do you mean?" I asked, suddenly he was making any sense.

"You still have a future like that, hell, we all do!"

"Dally, I don't have a future. I'll stay here, grow old and raise some greasers of my own." I laughed. "Your future Dally, if you don't change soon, you'll end up in the cooler for life, or shot!"

He laughed, "Do you want to shoot me?"

"Sometimes." I replied.

"Now?" he asked taking the footstep closer.

"Not so that you get hurt, maybe just in the foot."

He leaned in and our foreheads touched. "Now?"

"The toe, I want to shoot you in the toe." My heart was racing, it was really hard to remember all the reasons I hated him. It was very easy however, to remember the shower we'd shared, even if the circumstances weren't so good at the time.

"What about now." His lips brushed against mine.

Without answering I kissed him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he held my waist. This is who I loved.

_**

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A/N: **_I'm really enjoying writing this story. Here's your first glance at the beginning of the Dally and Sarah's relationship. If you have anything you think I should change, or somethign you really think should happen, let me know and I'll see if I can add it in. Don't forget to leave me a review!! 


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8**_

_**Sarah's POV**_

WARNING: Sexual scenes involved in this chapter!

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Dally and I walked to the Dingo, where he'd been staying for awhile. Dally brought me to his room and we sat on the bed. It was the first time in months that I'd felt safe. Like nothing could hurt me.

"Is this real Dally? Do you really want to be together, with me?" at this point, even if he said no, I don't think that my feeling of safety would alter.

"Sarah, I know I went with other girls back then, and some of them still come around every once and awhile, but your special to me. Of course I didn't show it right. It was scary, you know? To feel that way for somebody you'd only just met. I always watched out for you though. Haven't you noticed that in the past few weeks?" He told his feelings like they were. He was open, and not afraid that his 'tough guy' demeanor would shatter.

"Honestly, there was a part of me that hated you. I hated you so much Dally. But every time you went and saved me, or did something sweet like helping me in the shower I felt my heart flutter and I missed you." I rested my head on his shoulder.

"It was obvious that I hurt you, that's why I never stayed around too long to talk after. I don't make mistakes Sarah, and I knew if I were to talk to you you'd convince me that letting you go was a mistake."

"But wasn't it? If you really love someone, isn't letting them go a mistake?"

"No, it gave me a chance to help you. If I were tied to you through those 'boyfriend' bonds, it wouldn't have been the same."

I kind of understood what he was saying so I didn't press him further on the subject. Instead I kissed him ever so lightly on the cheek. He turned his head and our lips met. Our kisses were like the sunshine pouring through a dark window. I'd never felt more happy, loved, and content in all my life. Dally gradually pushed me down onto the bed. With him over top of me my heart began to race. He kissed me again, and this time I allowed his tongue to find the inside of my mouth.

Finally we broke apart. I was breathing heavy, as was Dally. We looked at each other, our eyes searching one another. I had an idea of what he was searching for, so instead of making him sit and search all night long, and sat up and ran my fingers along the bottom of his shirt. I looked into his eyes as I pulled it up, and he raised his hands so that I could take it off him. He did the same to me, but left my undergarment on.

"Sarah, I don't want to do anything your not ready for." he whispered.

"I think I'm ready Dally." I said nervously. Suddenly I wasn't so sure. Was I ready to give someone the virtue someone else had almost stole a few weeks ago? "If I love you, isn't this what we should do?"

"Only if your ready, for the first time, I won't rush this. I won't make you feel you have to do this Sarah. You mean a lot more to me then sex."

That made my decision quite a bit easier. "Dally, I'm sure. I want this, and I want you."

He ran his fingers through my hair and kissed me full, hard, and with tongue. Within minutes we were both naked, him onto of me. My breathing became a lot heavier, and Dally's did too. He cupped my breasts in his hand and kissed me again. I felt something between my legs, it wasn't what I thought though. Dally's finger came between my legs and he began to rub me gently. When I felt my lower half become a lot more hot that's when Dally stopped. I whined in protest. The feeling had been something I'd never before experienced. It didn't take long for Dally to figure out I missed the sensation, but instead of his finger, he pressed into me hard and with a thrust. I screamed, but he kissed me. I bit my tongue and he whispered. "I'm sorry, it hurts some the first time." I nodded as he pulled out of me and then pushed back in. I felt my legs turn into jelly. The pain however, seemed to move aside for something else. A pleasure? I'm not sure, but something inside me began to tighten and all I wanted was to feel a release. I began to arch into Dally's thrusts. A thin layer of sweat began to form on top of us as we continued.

It was then that I felt something inside we break and my body began to shake. Dally did too, and I felt him inside of me letting go as well. He pulled out of me and rolled to the other side of the bed. Looking at each other we smiled. I felt complete, like I didn't need anything else in my life but him.

"I love you Dally." I murmured into his chest as I fell asleep, my body curled into his.

"G'night Sarah." Dally said. I felt him bring the covers around us and he held me as close to him as was possible.

I woke up the next morning. I was still naked, but I was covered by the blankets Dally had wrapped around us last night. I turned, and there was my Dally. He was still sleeping. I touched his hair and kissed him softly. After that I got up and searched around the room for my clothes. I picked my jeans and t-shirt up off the floor and my bra and panties from under the bed. How they got there, I really don't know. I dressed quickly and after kissing Dally once more of the forehead, with out waking him up, I left.

I walked from the Dingo to my old home. It was early in the morning and I knew neither of my parents would be awake. I walked in, making sure that the door didn't clatter close. I tiptoed around, the place was a mess. I came to a semi open door, and pushed open. Johnny was sleeping. I walked over to him and gasped when I saw the bruise on his cheek. How much I wished my father were dead. What kind of man beat his children and kicked them out?

I shook johnny, "Bud? Hey." I smiled when he opened his eyes.

"Sarah? What are you doin' here?" Johnny asked sitting up.

"I just came to check on you." I said pushing his shoulder jokingly. "Sorry I haven't been around much."

"That's okay, Pony, Soda, and Darry need you more right now. I understand." he shrugged.

"You're wrong Johnny, I need to be here for you, and I'll be here the next time he does that." I said pointing to his face.

"Sarah, this is nothing. Just a bit of rage."

"A bit too much rage Johnny!" I said, my voice rising.

"Sarah, don't wake 'em up!" Johnny said in a desperate tone.

"I won't," I said more whispered, "but anything that hurts you is too much. You need to take care of your self, hell, I need to take care of you." I rubbed my forehead and stood. "Get dressed Johnny, we're going." I stepped out of the room so he could change.

I walked into the living room and searched. Where was it. I knew he kept at least one hidden behind the picture of that dog, but where's the other one? I walked over to the picture and took it off the wall. The switch blade I'd seen him put there when I was 11 was still in place. I grabbed it and shoved it into my back pocket. Now where was the other one? I looked around the living area and figured he must of hid it in his own room. Johnny walked out of his room then and I motioned for him to leave the house.

"What? Aren't you coming?" he asked.

"I'll be right there, I just want to get something." I replied with a reassuring smile.

Johnny looked wary at first, but smiled back after a few seconds, and left. I turned back toward my father's room. I gulped down any nerves that thought they might surface and found enough courage to slowly turn the door knob. With that over with I pushed the door open. There he was, knocked out cold laying fully dressed on top of the sheets. He was snoring, the kind of snore you get when you were fully loaded up on booze. I tiptoed quietly around the room and saw the box where it must be. I held my breath as I slipped past him and to the night stand with the box on top of it. I opened it ever so lightly and took out the loaded heater.

I turned it around in my hand. I'd seen my father use this heater. I'd seen him point it and shoot. Lucky for myself, it wasn't pointed at me, but at a tree. He'd needed to let some rage out, and I was 7. It was before he took his rage out on us, and me. He used to just take the gun and shoot it in the backyard at the same tree every time he got upset. How things change.

"What in the hell do you think you're doing?" I jumped and held the heater out in front of me, my finger on the trigger. I turned and my father was awake, pointing another one at me.

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_**A/N: Hope you enjoyed. R&R**_


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9**_

_**Disclaimer-**_ I own none of the characters created by the wonderful S E Hinton. I do however like to say that Sara Cade is of my own creation.

_**Sarah's POV

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'Don't be afraid' I told myself. I kept the gun pointed at my father and he kept his pointed at me.

"Put it back you good for nothing whore." He spat.

"No." I said as the gun began to shake in my hand.

"I'll shoot you if you like." he said, as if shooting his daughter were an everyday act.

"Go ahead! I'd rather be dead than alive and born to you!" I shouted. I watched his finger pull back on the trigger and I shot. My breath caught in my throat as the ringing of the shot echoed throughout the room. I was shaking all over but my eyes were on him. I hadn't shot him in the head, or anywhere that would cause death. I'd clipped him off the shoulder.

"DAMN YOU TO HELL! I'M GUNNA KILL YOU!" My father shot the gun, but I ducked. I ran out of the room as the shots from his heater rang behind me. I heard him chasing me. His steps made the house shake. Another gun shot rang out and I felt it. I screamed out as the bullet sliced past me, tearing a good chunk out of my arm.

I ran as fast as I could out the front door, my left arm was going numb. I heard one more shot fired before the door slammed shut behind me. I continued down the road, still running, my adrenaline pumped and my hands still shaking. I still carried the loaded weapon, but was anything but capable of pulling the trigger again.

When I rounded the next corner they were all there. Steve, Dally, Two-Bit, Soda, Darry, Ponyboy, and Johnny. They were all running towards me.

"What happened?" Exclaimed Steve.

"Did you hear those guns shots?" Two Bit asked as he stopped in front of me.

"Why are you shaking?" Ponyboy asked.

I was trembling, and unable to answer their questions. Finally my shivering hands dropped the heater. It clattered to the gravel road and I could feel everyone looking at it. I tried to keep my breathing even but it was no use. I was completely stirred and I couldn't feel my left arm.

"She's bleeding." Darry said coming to my side. He looked at my arm. "Who fired at you!?" he exclaimed.

"I only fired once." I said trembling and looking at the gun in disbelief.

"Who shot back?" Dally said he came right up to me and cupped my face.I shook my head and closed my eyes tight. "Dammit Sarah! Who shot back?" He shook my shoulders, and I went ridged. I heard him step back in frustration and punch something like a pole.

"Wrap this around her arm." I heard Steve say. Someone tied a piece of fabric around my arm. Pulling it tight.

"Let's get back to our house, we can talk then." Someone picked me up. I'm pretty sure it was Darry as I could feel all the muscles through the thin t-shirt he was wearing. When we reached the Curits's home, Darry sat me on the sofa, and everyone else sat around me.

"You have to tell us what happened." Steve said, as he sat next to me and placed his arm around my shoulder.

"No, she has to get to a hospital." Two Bit said fiercely.

"No Hospitals!" I said firmly.

"Sarah, you've been shot! You need to get that checked out." Two Bit said pointing at my arm.

"No I don't!" I yelled. Two Bit scowled and sat back in the chair.

"Just tell us what happened." Whispered Steve,

"I couldn't really shoot." I began. "I said I'd rather be dead but then when he raised the gun, and I couldn't help it. I shot. I caught him in the shoulder, but it didn't do anything serious. He shot back at me, and ran after me. I couldn't shoot at him again. My hands were shaking too much. What if I killed him? I wouldn't have lost anything! Why couldn't I kill him!?" I screamed out in frustration. Why couldn't I have aimed and shot correctly?

"Who's she talking about?" Pony asked Soda.

"Our father." Johnny answered from across the room.

I looked to Johnny, sympathy overwhelming me. "I'm sorry Johnny, I just couldn't" The tears began to glide down my cheeks. "You can't go back there Johnny. I'll get a job and we'll find a place of our own."

"No you won't." Darry said determinedly. "You're going back to school."

I glared at him. "I won't." I said back. "I've got what I want from school, and a convenience store or grocery store will hire me in a second."

"You can only make a few bucks there Sarah." Two Bit said sadly.

"Well it's a hell lot better than nothing." I spoke.

"The cops are going to be looking for you." I heard Dallas speak from behind me. His voice was full of something I'd never heard before. "Your father will tell the police. He's not going to let you get away with shooting him."

Dally was right. I'd be sent to jail for what I'd done. I looked at all my dearest friends, and then to my brother. What was I going to do? If I were caught I'd be sent to jail for months not weeks. I looked around the room, and saw the faces of my family. A family that would do anything for me. A family I would do anything for. A family that I wouldn't let loose their futures in order to save me.

"Everything will be fine." I finally said smiling.

Two Bit rolled his eyes but smiled. "Now can we talk about that arm o' yours?"

"You'll need stitches at least." Said Soda said standing up.

"Well I can't just walk into the hospital while my dad's in there." I said loudly.

"What if it wasn't you who walked in?" Steve questioned.

Never in all my life would I have expected to walk into the hospital as Ponyboy Curtis. My hair was cut short, to my chin, and I wore a ball cap that Soda had found under his bed. Wearing a large t-shirt and a pair of baggy jeans, so as not to show off any feminine qualities, I walked in and waited to be called. A young nurse called my name and I walked past her without making eye contact and into the room.

I sat on the uncomfortable table/bed thing the doctors have in the rooms. Posters of hearts, skeletons, digestive systems, and healthy eating were all taped around the white room. I swayed back and forth as I read the stupid saying, 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away.' and laughed to myself when I realized you could replace apple with any word in the human dictionary. "A weed a day keeps the doctor away...A rumble a day keeps the doctor away..." That's when the doctor came in. He looked at me curiously but didn't say anything. I shut completely up and didn't say a word as he poked with a needle to freeze my arm.

He began to stitch up the wound with gentle hands, but I didn't like him. He had a cocky physique, all well bread and not a hair out of place. His deep chocolate eyes told me he was a young professional and that I was the last type of person he wanted to be working on today. He laughed quietly to himself and I glared at him, hating him more. Someone with out a care in the world was stitching up someone that's life could soon be over.

"You don't make a very good male." He said to me after he'd finished stitching me up. I was shocked to hear him say that.

"What are you talking about?" I said in my deep voice. I felt a bit funny, my arm still tingled from the freezing,

"Did your older brothers put you up to this? Or some friends?" He asked as he wrapped some gauze around the wound. He looked at me with an eyebrow raised, and I hated him even more, because I couldn't raise one eyebrow.

"I don't know what you mean." I said still using my deep voice.

"After medical school, I think I'm smart enough to recognized a girl when I see one." He winked at me and patted my arm. "Your all set to go...Ponyboy." he snorted as he said the name and I wanted to kick him, but I didn't. I stood up and glared at him as I walked out the door. "Next time," I heard him call, "use a more convincing name." He was still laughing as I walked out of the hospital.

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A/N:**_ _**I hope you enjoyed this chapter, sorry it took so long to get up. Thanks to everyone is reviewing! Your reviews really mean a lot!! If there's any constructive criticism, please give it to me!! Thanks so much. I'd also like to know if any of you would like to see this as one story or if you guys would read a sequel. Thanks so much!! **_


	10. Chapter 10

Sarah's POV

As I left the hospital, Soda was there waiting for me. His boyish grin making me feel better, i pulled of his ball cap and threw it at him.

"So the disguise worked?" He asked messing my up my hair.

"Guess so, I'm all stitched up and not headed to the cooler." I replied silently. Soda put his arm around me and as we continued walking he held me close. I could always count on feeling protected when around Soda, or any of the guys for that matter. They were my family, in all ways that mattered, they were the ones I cared for and who cared for me back. They were the ones I ran to, the ones I felt the safest around, they were my home.

When we got back to our side of town, the feelings that usually allowed me to relax were not there, for now, the person I most feared lived just a few blocks away. He wouldn't hesitate as I did to pull the trigger again that was for certain, and he definitely wouldn't forget about our little encounter any time soon. Soda and I sat down on the front step of his porch and I rested my head on his shoulder.

"Do you think things will ever go back to normal Soda?" I had to ask, it was something I wanted so desperately.

"I don't think so Sarah, everything's changed, you've got to start thinking about the future, how to make things the best from now on. If we dwell on how things used to be we'll just be disappointed." How right he was and how stupid I felt.

We sat in silence again, however this time it was very recognizable. Where was everybody? Soda and I were the only ones at the Curtis' home, and this was a rare occasion. I looked up and down the street but none of our gang was anywhere to be seen.

"They'll be around soon." Soda rubbed my arm, it was like he could always tell what i was thinking.

"Where are they all? Where's Darry and Ponyboy? Where's Johnny!?" i stood up, heart racing, why hadn't I thought about Johnny sooner.

"Sarah, simmer down, it's okay." Soda reassured me, "Darry's out roofing a house, he picked up the job a couple days ago, and Pony and Johnny went for a walk. Johnny's pretty upset about what happened, says he shouldn't have left you in the house."

"That kid's got to start worrying about himself." I muttered, "There's nothing he could have done anyways."

"_That kid_ isn't the only one thinking like that, or at least he's not the only one blaming himself." Soda stood up in front of me. "All the gang feels responsible for what happened to you, we all should of kept a better watch on you, been there for you."

"You guys are always there for me when I need you, but I don't expect to have any babysitters!" They couldn't expect to keep tabs on me all the time, they had other things to do with their time then worry about me.

"I didn't mean you needed a babysitter Sarah, it's not like that, I meant we can't stand to see you hurt, you're family to us." He put his hand out to take mine but i pulled it away.

"Soda, I know you guys are my family. You mean more to me than my own blood, well except for Johnny, and I know he feels that way too, it's just..." I couldn't word anything right; it wasn't coming out how I wanted it to.

Soda pulled me into a hug, one I couldn't have gotten out of if I had tried. He held me so close I could almost hear is heart beat. He walked me into the house and we sat on the couch, and I was still very much wrapped in his embrace. He gradually started to rub my back, and within minutes I was snoozing on his shoulder, a back rub of Soda's could put anyone to sleep.

"She's got to get out of town for a bit, until everything blows over."

"She's not going to agree to leave Johnny back by himself."

"She'll have to, Johnny's fine anyways, he can stay with you."

""Where are you planning on taking her anyways?"

"I know a place okay."

The voices coming from the kitchen were speaking in escalated whispers. As I lay on the couch, I began to recognize who was speaking.

"We know the cops aren't looking for her, I'd say her ole man didn't put a call out, so I think she should just stick around here." Said Steve.

"That doesn't mean he won't come looking for her." This time I recognized Dally's voice. So he wanted me out of town, didn't think I was safe here at least.

"I agree with Dally, who knows what Mr Cade will do if he sees her just walking around. We need to let him cool off, he'll forget about it in a week or so." Darry made perfect sense, always using is head, but a week or so? That was way too long a time to be away from the gang, I would not leave for that long, that's for sure.

"She's not going to agree to that" Thank you Soda, finally someone putting in a word for me.

"It doesn't much matter if she wants to or not, she's going." Dally's finality in the way he spoke made me get up of the couch and make my consciousness known.

"I'm not running away anywhere." I said from the kitchen door, which made all but Dally turn to face me.

"Told you." Steve chimed with a wicked grin.

"It's not up for discussion any more, the train to Windrixville will be in tonight, and that's where we're going." Dally was sounding all tough, not anything like he did the night before.

"Dally, she said she doesn't want to go." Soda came over to stand beside me, like backup.

It was then that Dally turned around to look at me, his tough exterior said little, but his eyes screamed for me to agree to go with him. I'd never seen this mix of... feelings in him, not even from the other night. This was a very different Dallas Winston, not one that I wanted to disagree with, this was Dallas Winston, the ' you do what I say and I'll look after you forever or if not I'm outa here' look. And I wasn't quite sure if I was completely ready for it.

**_Wow, it sure took me long enough to update didn't it? Bet this is coming as a bit of a shock to some of you, but no more of a shock then it is to me. In all honesty, I had forgotten about his piece until my younger brother came home yesturday talking about the Outsiders and what a great book it was. My infatuation with the book came rushing back to me and I was soon rereading it and watching the movie all over. I happened to come across some old stories on my computer and found Sarah Cade, and had this huge urge to continue writing it. I hope you enjoy this update and there are a couple more to come today as well as more in the future... and this time i won't leave you hanging!_**


	11. Chapter 11

Sarah's POV

The first night in the Church on Jay Mountain I didn't speak a word to him. I had agreed to go with Dally to Windrixville, to Soda and Steve's distaste. Darry had reminded me that Johnny would be going back to school in couple of days, and that they'd keep an eye on him 'til I got back. That seemed to help in my decision to leave, not that I had made the decision, Dally had made it for me.

I turned over on the hard stone floor of the church. It was really early; the sun had just started to peak through the cracks in the church wall. Dally was sleeping about two bodies lengths away from me. Not only was I not speaking to him, but he wasn't speaking to me either. As much as I felt I loved him, there was so much of me that still couldn't trust him. He was different around me, and the past few weeks he had been my own personal super hero, saving me more than once. And then yesterday, hardly speaking to me, making decisions for me, and that glare, a shiver ran down my spine as i thought of the train ride here. It had been cold, but Two Bit had lent me his jacket so it didn't bother me as much as it could have. After Dally and I had jumped into one of the cargo boxes on the train we sat there in silence. I was playing with the zipper of two bits tuff jacket, however when I looked up I was met with a glare colder than what I imagined Canada to be. A rush of feelings hurried through me, guilt, sadness, pain, only to rest upon anger. How dare he! How dare he sit there a judge me, and give me that look of ice? After spending the other night together, after I agreed to go with him to God knows where, how could he be so silent, I thought to myself, 'I'll show him' and that's when I decided that I wouldn't speak to him for the duration of our time spent together.

I must admit, it wasn't one of my greater ideas, I mean, I didn't know where anything was, but I'd be damned if I was going to speak now, I'd just have to find some water on my own. I got up then and began my search, making sure all the while not to wake the sleeping dragon.

As I walked outside I was met with the most beautiful sight, the sunrise. It was coming up in between some of the trees and it was a beautiful hue of pink and orange. I stood there in a moment of utter bewilderment. This was something so beautiful that as the colours gradually began to change back to blue i felt sadness and despair creep back into the crevices of my mind. I continued to stand there even after the colours of the sunrise were completely gone and i thought for the first time about the future I wanted. I wanted to get married, and live in a nice home, nothing grand, something like what the Curtis' have, and I wanted a dog, and kids, and maybe even a cat. I wanted to live right next door to Johnny, who'd have a fine job seeing as he'd graduate and get a good paying one. And as abruptly as my fantasy ended I realized this wasn't what I wanted. I wanted Johnny to graduate and get a good job, yes, but he couldn't live next to me, because I'd still be living in Tulsa, on the West side of town. I didn't want Johnny sticking around here, he belonged somewhere great, somewhere he could have a real big future like Hollywood, San Francisco, Chicago or New York, a big city he could meet lots of people and not be judged on where he was brought up because everyone there was brought up somewhere different.

As Dally cleared his throat behind me, I nearly tumbled backwards, "So, uh, I thought you ran off or something." He said eyeing me.

After a moment's hesitation I decided against continuing my silent treatment, "Nope, just thinkin' is all." I turned back toward where the sun had risen in the east.

"You know, I didn't bring you up here because I wanted to be an ass, I'm trying to keep you safe." He muttered stepping up beside me.

"Well, you sure aren't acting like it." I stated matter of factly.

"Well dammit Sarah, what do you want me to act like!?"

"I was hoping for a little more kindness seeing as we slept together the other night while also declaring our love." I swung around to face him again, and if I could have, I would have had fire shooting from my eyes.

"Oh," his smile was pure mockery, "you want kindness? I would've preferred waking up with you still beside me that morning, looks like neither of us are getting our way."

"What do you mean? I was with you the entire night!" I exclaimed

"Sarah, all I know is that I was woken up by Two Bit who didn't know where the hell you were, and apparently, neither did I until we hit the empty lot and heard the shots fired. "

"I got up early the next morning, you were sleeping like... like, never mind, you were sleeping and I didn't want to wake you but I knew I had to go get my dad's weapons before anything real dangerous happened to Johnny."

"Then why couldn't you have waited for me, I woulda gone with you, protected you, you wouldn't have gotten hurt!" and Soda's words from the other day came flooding to mind, '_that kid_ isn't the only one thinking like that, or at least he's not the only one blaming himself'.

"Dally," I stepped closer to him, "You can't be there all the time." I whispered

"Don't you think I know that by now, but at least I want to be there when I can! Don't you get it yet Sarah! If something ever happened to you, if you ever got seriously hurt...I wouldn't have anybody." His complete and utter honesty caught me off guard.

"Sure you would Dally, you've got the gang." I took his hand in mine.

"They're not you Sarah, they're tuff, and great guys, but you make me..." His breathing became more laboured.

"Dally, you've got Johnny, he looks up to you, you're his hero, but besides that, I'm not going anywhere, I have no where's else to go." I lifted his hand to my heart, "It's yours Dally, and I'm yours."

**_So basically, I'm working alot around the movie and book, first off the movie because Dallas Winston was really brought to life for me on screen. I took the liberty of using the church and Jay mountain, where Dally had sent Johnny and Ponyboy, as the reason why Dally would send those two up there. He'd known it, and lived there for a bit. So that's that and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Drop a review, I'd love to hear from you._**


	12. Chapter 12

Sarah's POV

Days seemed to go by a lot slower when you didn't have anywhere's to be. Dally had gotten us some food, and some soap (by much pleading on my half) so that we wouldn't have to be around town too much. I liked the church, you could almost imagine what it would have been like back in its day; the Church pews filled with people, the alter where the minister would have spoken from the Bible. I hadn't been to church in a long while, but the memories I had of it were all nice ones, mainly memories of my aunt. My aunt Glenda would visit a lot when I was younger, taking me and Johnny to church every now and then. She had a voice like no other, reminded me of what angels might sound like. She used to sing all the hymns, even after church was through. She'd been a really nice aunt, but I didn't blame her for leaving, she got sick of her brother always drinking and finally decided not to visit anymore.

I fingered the necklace around my neck, it was a pendant of St Michael, the Arc Angel, it was supposed to protect me, or at least that's what Glenda had told me. I took the necklace of and held it between my fingers. It had always held some sort of 'good luck' with it I suppose, I mean, it's like when people name their pets "lucky" 'cause they got hit by a car and survived. In that sense, I guess the necklace did sorta protect me, I was still walking wasn't I. But Dally, he was who really protected me, especially lately. Who was it that protected him?

"And that my friend is the best tasting burger I've eaten in a long while!" I looked up from where i was sitting as Dallas walked in with a burger in one hand and a bag in the other. He pulled out another beef patty and handed it to me.

"Wow, that's definitely the way to a girl's heart I must say." I teased but took the burger hungrily. "I'm serious you know."

"Oh I know, it's all about food for you females ain't it? Chocolates, ice cream, I mean, a guy could go broke just trying to feed you women, not to mention when it's _that_ time." He nudged my shoulder and sat down, feet up on the pews ahead of him.

"Dallas!" I scolded putting the chain into my pocket, "And the way to a guy's heart, well, we all know he only craves one thing..." I sat the burger down next to me and turned my upper body to face him. Gradually, I began to unbutton the top couple buttons of my shirt. The smile that spread across his face could have won the hearts of all the girls in town, Socs included.

He pulled me over to him so that I straddled his legs. I continued to unbutton my shirt until the tops of my bra began to show. I leaned into him and he let out a low groan and as one of his hands went to cup the back of my head, I grabbed a fistful of his hair. Our lips mashed together, and I let his tongue search the universe of my mouth. As his hand that had been at the back of my head began to trail down my neck and to my breast, his other hand trailed along my leg until all of a sudden he had his hand in my jean pocket. We continued to kiss, my intakes of air now increasing, as I pulled away from him to take relieve myself of my shirt he held up his hand to stop me.

"Sarah, what's this?" He held my necklace in his hand; he must have taken it from my pocket.

"It's something my aunt gave me a while back, to protect me." I explained leaning back in to kiss him, but he pulled back again,

"Protection huh?" He swung it between us like it was one of those hypnotist toys, "Does it work?"

"I don't know, you never stop saving me enough to see if it works." I replied taking the necklace from him.

"Oh I see, well it looks like just a piece of metal to me." He snickered and went back to feeling up my leg.

"Well hold on their greaser," I unclasped the hook of the necklace and hung it around Dally's neck, "who do you have to protect you huh? I think you probably need this more than you think you do. An angel might help you out some, or at least keep a look out on you."

"No, that's fine Sarah, I can protect myself." He made to take of the metal chain I'd just hung around his neck but I placed my hand over his to stop him.

"You can keep it, if not for protection, then as a gift from me." I kissed him lightly on the lips. He held the hand I had placed over his and kissed me back softly.

"Thanks." He whispered and soon we were back to hands in my pockets.

The next morning I woke up with Dally holding me tight in his arms. It felt so nice to be like this, to not be worrying about anything, but I guess I did have things to worry about. We couldn't stay up here all that much longer, plus, I really missed the rest of the gang. I turned over to face Dally and as he lay there asleep I began to play with the small bits of hair that had fallen into his face. How tuff he looked, playing all cool all the time, but when he slept, it was like seeing what Dally would have looked like before being in the cooler all those times and before he'd gone off to New York. His eyes began to flutter open and I smiled big for him.

"Good morning." I sang, as he stretched his arm out and yawned, "Guess what we're doing today?" I chirped.

"What's the plan for today?" he questioned his voice still groggy from sleep.

I looked him straight in the eyes, "We're going back home." It wasn't a suggestion, it was fact.

He laughed to himself and then sat up straight, "You think your ole man's over what happened?"

"Maybe not, but I really don't want to be here anymore. It's not home, I miss the gang, and I miss Johnny."

The innocence that I had seen while he was asleep was no longer found in his now strict face. "You don't want to be here? You miss the gang? Who else besides Johnny are you missing Sarah?"

"What do you mean by that Dally?! I just want to go home, sleep in a bed, you know how it is, I'm surprised you're not looking for some more beer to drink or someone to fight." Or perhaps he'd just found someone to fight with.

"I'm not complaining, I thought we were doing just fine. But who is it, Steve? You and him were pretty close huh?" He stood up and glared down at me.

"Where is this coming from!? You just turn on me like that Dally, and I won't hesitate to turn on you. You do this when someone gets close to you dammit and I won't suffer for that!" I yelled still sitting where he'd left me.

"We talk, we sleep together, that's not close Sarah, especially when you're thinking of someone else! Who the hell wakes up and just wants to leave, you're missing someone, and I'll be damned if it's Johnny because you know he's doing fine."

"Well Dally let's look at the facts shall we." I stood then to look him in the eye, even if I was some inches shorter than him. "Steve's got more than one girl, so hell, maybe we hung out more than once, and yeah I kissed him but if you think I want to get back home for Steve you're only one fifth right. There's also this guy, you know him, he likes to crack the jokes and be a real good friend, a brother to me. Two-Bits someone I'm missing too, and then there's these three guys, who just so happen to be going through something that they shouldn't have to. The Curtis' deserved way better then the hand they were dealt, and I want to be there for them to help them get through a tough time. So there are five reasons I want to get home. Another reason, I'm sick of being here with you, because I know that it won't last, and as of right now you're proving me right. It's so easy to love you when you're only around me, when there's no fuzz, no fights, no other girls, but the minute we step back into reality I'm going to have to face the fact that as much I my heart belongs to you yours doesn't belong to me! You don't trust me enough and you never will trust anyone enough. You've seen too many jail cells, too many rough times to be able to love me as much as I love you." My arms folded over my chest, almost willing myself not to fall apart I continued, "You got mean in jail, every time you got out you got colder. You can't expect me to stay here forever Dally, this isn't real life; this is hiding."

**_I took the liberty in this chapter to say that the necklace Dally wore in the film was the one you just read about, the one Sarah gave to him. Also, I know there's a lot of Dally and Sarah love hate love hate going on, it's the way i think any relationship with Dally would go, but it'll get better! Thanks for reading, drop a review off as you leave! _**


	13. Chapter 13

Sarah's POV

"I really missed you."Johnny whispered as we lay under the stars in the vacant lot, "I mean, when you're around everyone's more themselves, or maybe it's just that we feel more when you're around."

I put my arm around my little brother's shoulders and held him closer to me. The stars were so beautiful, like they were painted there by something so much greater than anything I knew. This was the perfect night, not too cold to be sleeping under the stars, not so noisy you couldn't sleep, but not so silent it felt out of place.

"You know Johnny, maybe it's just the presence of a female that gets to y'all." I laughed as did Johnny, but when he grew quite I knew there was something he was holding back. "Johnny, what is it?" I turned on my side to be able to face him better, resting my chin on my elbow.

He looked at me cautiously and blew out a long sigh, knowing he couldn't keep a real secret from me. "It's just, there's been a lot of female presence around, Steve's got Eve, this girl, I don't know, she seems fine, and Soda's got a girl too. She's a lot prettier than Steve's girl, but I guess it was just weird having them around the last little while and not you." Something else was keeping Johnny quiet though, as if there was something else bothering him.

"Oh Johnny, don't worry about some of the guys with their girls, you know you'll have one soon enough. But hey, what's happened while I was gone?" I asked casually.

"Me and Ponyboy went to see _Gone with The Wind_ at the movie house, Two Bit got pretty drunk one night, but it was different from other nights, he got worried about you I guess, didn't like you up there with only Dally for company said you'd probably come back in a coma or something. Darry's been pretty silent a lot, him and Pony aren't getting along the best, things aren't so hot for them right now." Johnny didn't look at me while he spoke, he just kept staring up at the sky.

I leaned forward and tickled underneath his chin, "So brother," I said once he finally smiled, "What's really bothering you then?"

At this, Johnny sat up straight, looked me in the face and asked, "What happened between you and Dally?"

I was a little taken back, I didn't think anybody had noticed anything between Dally and I, we'd kept apart since getting back in town, not having a real conversation since our fight at the church, but I didn't think anyone had really noticed. "Nothing Johnny," but with this reply, I knew he was not satisfied. "We're just friends, like I am with all the other greasers. There's nothing going on."

"But he's not speaking to me anymore Sarah." So this was the problem, not that Dally and I hooked up and we weren't talking, Johnny must have thought something between Dally and I had made Dally not like Johnny, I knew this wasn't true though, Dally was just keeping away from me.

"I'm sorry Johnny, I didn't realize, I guess he's just keeping away from me. A few days away made us a little sick of each other. I'll clear things up though, don't you worry." I looked at Johnny, and saw that what I had said must have made him feel a bit better because he lay back down on the pavement.

We stayed there in silence for the rest of the night, Johnny gradually dozed off, and for that I was happy. I picked Johnny up, he was light, but still a little bit more than I had anticipated. I got him to the old couch though and put Two Bits Jacket over him (as I had yet to return it to its proper owner). From there I began to walk. The night air made me feel a lot better, it being just cool enough to cool me off. I headed in the direction of the Dingo, knowing I could find some comfort in a drink or two, but got sidetracked when I walked past the street Two Bit lived on. I told myself I'd peek through the window and if I saw him sleeping I'd leave.

So as I crept up the steps to the very quite house, which hadn't a light on inside, I was pretty sure I'd see Two Bit sleeping on the couch, which I did. He looked so peaceful in sleep, like Dally had, only I knew when Two Bit woke up he'd still carry some of that look. I sat down on the chair on the front stair telling myself the whole while that I'd just sit there for a second, but that one second was all I needed to find that place between dreaming and being awake.

I dreamt I was walking in the clouds, everyone was there, Johnny, Two Bit, Ponyboy, Sodapop, Darry, Steve, even Dally. They were playing football, and having a grand time. They were all laughing and joking around. I turned around and saw Mr and Mrs Curtis, they were standing there laughing too, and my aunt, she was there. Everyone was enjoying themselves. I felt myself being pulled and all of a sudden I was no longer in the clouds. I was standing at the Dingo yelling at someone. They were yelling back at me, but I couldn't hear them straight. I heard a shot and turned towards the shooter, but I collapsed. The blood was pouring from my stomach, and everything was becoming a blur. Someone was speaking above me though, "Sarah," I began to think it was God, "What are you doing here?" The heavenly voice asked. Why, were greasers not allowed in heaven? "Sarah, are you okay?" I'm bleeding can't you see? With an abrupt jolt of my shoulder my eyes swung open and I was back on the chair at Two Bit's.

"Hey sleepy head." Two Bit sat on the railing across from me, "Couldn't find a better place to find some 'z's?"

"Oh," I shoved his shoulder back, "Just thought I'd wait for you to wake up." I moved over so Two Bit could sit next to me. He held out a cup of coffee and I welcomed the comfort and warmth of the drink and Two Bit's friendliness.

"So, how was the private get-away?" He asked.

"Anything but perfect." I said taking a sip of the coffee, no milk and no sugar added. Not exactly what I preferred for breakfast, but hey, baggers can't be choosers.

"So I take it a couple days with Dally were a couple days to many?" He looked at me funny, like he knew something that only the two of us knew.

"It wasn't all bad I guess, would have been nice if we weren't both so damn stubborn." I said leaning back against the seat.

"There isn't much either of you can do about that. But Sarah, I've seen the way you two are around each other." Two Bit's insight frightened me. I always knew there was something more to him, like he saw things but let on like everything just went right over is head. He liked to be the wise cracker of the gang, but obviously that's not all he was, I just never thought he'd ever be interested in my life situations.

"We aren't any way around each other." I said my voice growing louder with every word, "Dally's got the hots for any girl within a ten foot radius, and you should know that by now Two Bit. I'm an easy one too, all I got to hear is that they 'care' about me, whatever that means, and I'm a gonner. Want me in bed with you, just tell me you'll take care of me forever and I'll strip down in 2 seconds flat."

Two Bit looked at me with fire in his eyes. "Don't you ever talk like that Sarah Cade, you deserve to be taken care of, and I've never seen you let a boy take advantage of you by lying to you. What's gotten into you anyways?" His frustration was plain on his face; his ears always went red when he got mad. "And by the way, no one thinks you're easy, especially any of the gang, you're special to us, and you know we'll take care of you forever without expecting you to drop your pants."

Two Bit stood and walked away from me. He got down to the grass in front of his house and began to pace. I'd never seen him pace before. Knowing that I caused Two Bit's frustration made me sick. Wasn't I just moments ago admiring the peacefulness of Two-Bit, and now, like everything else, I'd ruined it. I slowly walked off the porch and wrapped my arms around him.

He turned to face me, "There are people who care about you Sarah." I looked up into his eyes, his sincerity seeped from them. I felt my throat tighten and a knot in my stomach form. Before I could stop myself the tears began to fall. Two Bit held me close, as I let go of every frustration, and all of the raw emotion that haunted me since I'd fired a gun at my father. Every tear I didn't shed while I was hiding away with Dally poured from me now, every sob that I concealed from Johnny when he asked me about Dally and I, now cracked from my lungs.

Two Bit didn't speak again until every last tear was drained. I could feel my face red and puffy, my noise dripping and my head ringing. His silence was a comfort; there was no judgment in this silence, only support. We sat down in the grass together and I tried to sort out my thoughts.

"He'll never be capable of it Two Bit. I'll never be capable of it. Who are we kidding? When we're together, there are days when if I died I would be happy as long as I died next to him; then, there are days when I want to kill him! We manage to ruin the sweetest of moments; yet, my favourite moments are the good ones I've spent with him. We would die for each other, take care of each other, and we do love each other; and still, we are always accusing one another for loving others. "I picked at the grass in front of me, it was impossible for me to sit on grass and not pick at it. "I can't live my life this way anymore, but I don't know if I can keep on living without him in my life."

_**Hope you enjoyed. Leave me a review if you have time. **_


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: Remember I own nothing except those few characters you don't recognize.**

Sarah's POV

For a nice break from my pity party morning, Two-Bit and I went for a drive. He wanted to go to the dime store, and buy some things. I knew better, Two-Bit never paid money for things he could swipe. On the way there we listened to Elvis, he was tuff, Two-Bit always had his Elvis cassette on full blast, but today he turned it down as we came to a traffic stop.

"Not to bring up the sore subject that we've already passed, but there's more fish in that sea than just Dally. Not that I want you to start fishing by any means, no one will ever be good enough for you and that includes ole Dally, but seeing you upset like this, it just ain't right." Two-Bit looked over to me and I kept facing straight out the window. I knew he had a point, but I wasn't ready to admit it yet, something in me just wouldn't let go of Dallas Winston.

We pulled into the parking lot of the dime store and while Two-Bit went inside I stayed by the car. Leaning up against the passenger door I watched the people. We were near the Soc part of town, but technically this was still Greaser turf, so there wasn't a Soc in sight. The greasers here all looked really tuff. I saw Curly and a few people sneak behind the dime store, there were some Greasers starting to pick a fight to my right, no blades so it was a clean fight I wasn't about to interrupt. I watched Two-Bit through the giant window and saw him snatching this and that. He was really clever when it came to this sort of thing, the cashier would never have recognized what he was doing was stealing, but he kept looking back at me winking every time he added something else to his jacket pocket.

I began to laugh, loving how the day had gone so far when I heard his voice. "We could go back to the Dingo later tonight." As I turned my head in the direction of his voice I saw Dally with his arm wrapped around Cynthia Buckle. Blonde hair, blue eyes, black mini skirt just low enough so that you couldn't see the pink thong you knew she was wearing. She wore her hair up in a high ponytail with black eyeliner smudged around her eyes; she looked like some freak mix between cheerleader and vampire. As they walked closer to the store Cynthia pointed in my direction, I turned away before Dally could see that I'd been watching.

"Looks like Sarah Cade's back in town." She said, and if I didn't know better I would have swore the words came from a Soc. "Wherever she ran off to they didn't have showers." She giggled.

I felt my cheeks begin to turn a bright red. I didn't think I looked that bad, but then again I hadn't looked in a mirror recently. I looked down to my feet, noticing just how dirty my jeans were and kicked the dirt. Two-Bit really needed to hurry up or I was going to bolt right back to Jay Mountain.

"Dally…" Her whine made my head snap up. When I looked at where they had been standing I saw Cynthia standing alone. "What did I say?" the chime of the dime store bell made me realize that Dally had walked off into the shop. Cynthia looked to me and then back to Dally. With a final moan she lit up a cancer stick and walked over to the building and leaned up against it. I didn't look at her after that. I watched through the big front window as Two-Bit said some words to Dally. They looked to be having a pleasant enough conversation, but I knew better.

Two-Bit playfully shoved Dally's shoulder as he walked out of the store. I didn't look at Two-Bit when he came over to the car; instead I kept my eyes locked on Dally. He had moved to the candy counter, I knew well enough that he didn't plan on buying anything but that he was thinking about something. A guy in a blue jean jacket stood behind him, and grew impatient with what he must assumed was Dally's indecisiveness. He tapped Dally on the shoulder, and I could see his lips moving in a "Move out of my way" sort of motion and before I knew it the guy was on the floor. Dally had belted him so hard in the face that the guy hit the floor like a ton of bricks.

Like it was nothing to him, Dally winked at the young cashier and walked out of the store as she ran to make sure the blue jean jacket kid was alright. I couldn't believe what Dally had just done, and to make matters worse, he was walking in the direction of me and Two-Bit.

"Hey, Two-Bit, think I can take you up on that ride now?" without a reply from Two-Bit, Dally hopped into the back of the car, leaving me to scowl in Two-Bit's direction before we both jumped in and left the parking lot.

"What was that about?" Two-Bit asked as we drove back towards his place. "You probably knocked a couple of his teeth loose!" he laughed.

"He told me to move out of his way, so I moved my fist into his face." Dally said nonchalantly. I scowled as he said this. If someone picked a fight with you, then by all means, go ahead and fight, but that punch had nothing to do with the guy in the jean jacket, and he certainly hadn't asked for a fight.

"You're reckless and you'll be lucky if you don't find yourself back in the cooler." I said matter-of-factly.

Two-Bit stopped laughing then and looked at me. "Sarah, nobody's getting locked up in the cooler, don't talk nonsense." He reached his hand back to punch Dally on the knee, "If I haven't got caught for swiping the junk I've swiped then you ain't going to the cooler for knocking some kids teeth out."

Dally snickered, "She's just saying that 'cause that's where she prefers me." He leaned back and put his hands behind his head. "That way she won't have to see my face around town, right Sarah?"

I looked at Dally's smug face through the rear-view mirror. What was he playing at? Why did he have to be cruel? Why did I have the urge to be rude right back at him? Instead of replying with a quick, 'Yeah I don't want to see your face around town, so why don't you get the hell out of Two-Bit's car' I sat silently. I couldn't argue with him just now. I was tired, dirty and was not going to give him the time of day.

When we pulled into Two-Bit's drive way, I was the first out of the car. "Hey Two-Bit, you mind if I take a shower?"

Two-Bit slammed his car door shut, jingled his keys around and smiled, "Of course. You know where the towels are." I quickly walked inside and opened the bathroom window so the steam from what I intended to be a hot shower wouldn't fog up the bathroom too bad and turned the faucet on. I grabbed a towel from the shelf just outside the bathroom, stripped down and hopped in.

Two-Bit and Dally must have walked around to the back of the house because I could hear their voices from outside the bathroom window. They weren't talking about much, Two-Bit was asking about Cynthia Buckle, and Dally replied with a "she's nothing". I let the water wash over my face and body and just stood in the shower. When I went to reach for the shampoo I heard a change in the conversation.

"Why do you have to be so cold to her Dally?" it was Two-Bit and he didn't sound like his jokey self from three minutes ago.

"Where is this coming from!" Dally sounded accusatory, like Two-Bit just sentenced him to life on the Soc side of town.

"Where is this coming from? Are you kidding me? I woke up this morning and guess who I found sleeping outside my house? She's upset, she has been since the ordeal with her father, and the only time I see any sort of feeling in her is when she's talking about or arguing with you. Of course, she's different around Johnny, they have a deeper relationship than any of us will ever understand but when it comes to you-"Two-Bit sighed.

I could almost envision him sitting on the little bench in the back yard looking at Dally who was probably standing just below the bathroom window. "You have no idea how she feels." I could tell that Two-Bit had finished. He wouldn't tell Dally about our conversation earlier, he wouldn't tell Dally that I cried on his shoulder, Two-Bit was good at keeping those sorts of things to himself.

"I have no idea how she feels?" Dally scoffed, I hated this side of him, and I knew what was coming next. "I know exactly how she feels. Her skin is soft," I cringed at every word, "her legs are a smooth as butter and God is she ever-"I sat down in the tub but realized that Dally had stopped. I heard a bit of a thud and then the swearing started.

"You ever talk about her like that again and I'll throw more than a can of soup at you!" I heard Two-Bit yell. Dally didn't reply. "How could you even-"In Two-Bit's frustration I could almost imagine him throwing the bench he was probably sitting on. "If this is who you really are Dally, then you've fooled all of us except probably Ponyboy because he's always been standoffish when it comes to you. How is it that you can talk about her like that but if Cynthia Buckle says something about her you go and punch the next guy who enters the dime store?"

I could hear Dally walking around in the back yard. The crunching of the dirt under his feet made it sound like he was a military officer marching with his men. Then as abruptly as he stopped moving he started talking. "I'm not the same as I used to be. She says that I got mean in jail, and she's probably right. At one time I would have trusted, I could have trusted, and I can't anymore. I can't go soft for anyone. And as much as I'm incapable of it, she's incapable of love too."

There was a silence before Two-Bit spoke, "She's not incapable of love Dally, and she came home to be with those that she loves. She loves Johnny; she'd do anything for that kid. And whether you believe it or not, she's in love with you. You know she is, you can't have been together alone for that amount of time and not realized it."

I touched my neck, where my Michael the Arc Angel medal used to dangle. I wanted Dally to know how I felt about him, but I'd already told him over and over again. How many times would it take? It felt like every time I told him how I felt it never lasted. I was as much to blame as him for every bad time in our relationship. What if I had stayed with him, in bed, and had waited for him to wake up before going over and making sure Johnny was alright and getting rid of my father's gun. What if I had stayed just a few extra days at the church, enough to show him that I truly cared about him and that my going home was entirely based on being home for Johnny.

"She was safe in my arms both times Two-Bit…" I could barely hear Dally, he must have moved farther away from the window, or he was whispering. I turned the shower off and listened closly. "Both times, I had her wrapped in my arms. The first time I didn't notice she was gone until it was too late, the other time I let her go, granted she made all the right arguments, but in the end I still let her go." Dally took in a deep breath and I heard him sigh. "She doesn't need me. She doesn't need me to keep my arms around her. She thinks she's in love with me Two-Bit, but she knows that she doesn't need me."

"She's a tough girl," Two-Bit interjected, "it's not that she doesn't need you, it's that she knows how to take care of herself."

"I'd be the last person she'd have called the night her dad busted her head, and even after that I still wouldn't have been her first choice when it came to getting her away from those Soc that took her into the backseat of their car." He stated.

"Dally, you know you two didn't have the best relationship up until that point. I mean, when you came back from New York you were a whole new person, and Sarah, she got caught up in it. Neither of you knew what was going on in the others mind, and you did what you do best. I don't hate you for it, it's in your nature, but Sarah was hurt. You can't expect her to trust you so easily when the last time she did you had two other broads on the dangling off you." I could hear Two-Bit stand.

"Listen Dally, I know Sarah well, probably a little bit better than you do I'd wager, and she doesn't trust too many people. She trusts the gang sometimes, she'll trust Johnny until the day she dies, and she's beginning to trust you again. Hell, if she didn't trust you she sure wouldn't have run away with you of all people when things got bad here. You do realize that any of us would have left with her and kept her safe, but you stepped forward and she agreed to it. That says something right there Dally, and if you aren't hearing it you better get your ears checked." With that I could tell Two-Bit had walked away.

I quickly got out of the shower and dried off. I put back on my dirty jeans and t-shirt but at least I felt clean. I took the elastic from my wrist and braided my hair quickly before taking my towel to the hamper. As I walked into the kitchen Two-Bit was just opening the fridge. He took out a beer and smiled in my direction, "Want one?" he asked.

I walked over and gave him a hug. "You're one of my best friends Two-Bit." I whispered, and with that I walked out of the house.

**_Hey, I hope you liked this chapter. I make a couple of references to a few things discussed early in the book, trying to stay as true to the original as I can. I hope you enjoyed it and hopefully you'll leave me a review and let me know what you're really thinking. _**


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: The world of The Outsiders belongs to S E Hinton.**

Sarah's POV

There are times in life when you believe you are the most unlucky person in the world. I've had lots happen to make me believe such, but then every once and a while I'm faced with situations that prove that I'm one of the luckiest people I know. There's no way that anyone else has friends like I do. A friend that would stick up to another friend and tell them they're wrong. A friend that lets you sleep on their couch, a friend that lets you take their name when you need to go to the hospital, friends that will be there for you no matter what.

I walked out of Two-Bit's house with these exact thoughts in mind. I walked a little farther down the street, just thinking about the beauty in having such friends when I saw a small figure sitting on the curb up ahead. He held his head in his hands, so I couldn't see his face, but I recognized who it was right away.

I walked up to Ponyboy, quiet so as not to startle him. I sat beside him on the curb, and placed my hand comfortingly on his back. He looked up at me then, his eyes and ears as red as cherries.

"Oh Pony, what's wrong?" I gave him a tight hug.

"It's not important." He said softly.

"Pony," I looked at him as I would have Johnny, "don't hide stuff from me, I'm not one of the guys."

When I said that, he looked away and started fidgeting with his hands. I waited, I would have waited there all day if that's how long it would take him to open up, but thankfully it didn't. "Darry and I got in a fight. He says I need to grow up, start using my head for more than just reading but for thinking smart outside of school and stuff." He wiped his nose on his shirt and still wouldn't look at me.

In all the years I'd known the Curtis's I'd never known them to ever argue. Darry, Sodapop, and Ponyboy were all so close. I knew that they had troubled times ahead, with their parents gone and all, but I expected them to grow closer rather than grow apart. "Pony, things are going to change now that your parents are gone, but you have to understand that Darry's always going to love you, he just has a bit more responsibility than he used to. Don't forget, he still has to figure out what he's doing with his football scholarship, and I'm sure that's weighing on him."

At that, Ponyboy looked up, staring me straight in the face. "He gave it up Sarah. He's staying here to take care of me. He says he has to take care of Sodapop too, but I know Soda can take care of himself. He says that if he doesn't stay, me an' Soda'd be sent to some boys house. Soda's real mad, he quit school yesterday and got a full time job at the DX, says that if he makes enough money, Darry'll be able to reclaim his scholarship, but I don't think it's going to happen, Darry won't take Soda's money." It spilled from Ponyboy as if the barricade that was holding back the water from spilling into a valley had shattered into a million pieces.

My brain was flooded with all this new information. Darry turning down his scholarship, Soda quitting school to work fulltime at the DX and now Darry and Ponyboy were arguing. My heart went out to the brothers. "Pony, I'm sorry." I whispered, unsure of what else to say.

"I just don't know what to do. Darry yells a lot more; he's tired every day after work. Soda says he's just on edge, that he's having a worse time than we are to adjusting; he says that Darry knew mom and dad longer than either of us. But that's not fair! I miss them as much as he does and I'm not yellin' at nobody unless I'm yelled at. He never gets mad at Soda, and I don't see what I'm doing that's so awful." I could hear that he was almost on the verge of breaking into tears. I wrapped my arms around him again. If I could have kept him like this, in my arms, I would have. If only that was enough.

As I sat there wishing that I could protect Ponyboy from the world, the words that I had heard from Two-Bit's shower filled my mind, 'She was safe in my arms…' This was exactly how Dally felt. That's what he wanted to do for me. Why couldn't I let him? Because life moves too fast to hold onto each other forever, but in this moment, life could have flown past me and if Ponyboy wanted me to stay here I would have.

"Sarah…" I heard Ponyboy say my name. I didn't loosen my grip around him. "Sarah, I think I'm going to head back home." At that, I loosened my arms from around his shoulders.

"Ponyboy, just please remember there are so many people that care about you, and Darry is one of them." Ponyboy sighed and stood up, he rubbed his eyes, they weren't as red as they had been when I'd first seen him, and he walked off back towards his home.

I sat on the curb a while longer until I couldn't contain myself anymore. I stood and ran back in the direction of Two-Bit's. When I got to the house I jumped up the steps, skipping every other one, and burst through the door. Two-Bit looked up from the television, chocolate cake crumbs falling from his mouth.

"Where's Dally?" I asked taking deep breaths, ready to sprint off in the direction Two-Bit pointed me in.

He stared at me with the strangest look in his eyes, "why?"

"Two-Bit, just tell me where he is!" I stomped my foot hard on the floor. "I need to tell him, I need to tell him that the world moves too fast for us not to have each other."

Two-Bit smiled at my response, and then realizing something, a small frown formed on his face. "He went to the Dingo. But Sarah I heard there was going to be a fight-" I ran out the door before Two-Bit could finish. With this adrenaline rush I could run and get to the Dingo in 5 minutes flat. And I did.

The door flew open as I entered the Dingo. I walked in, trying to get show off my tuffness instead of this flying flurry of Sarah. I looked around and didn't see Dally anywhere, but in the corner of the bar I saw Tommy Day. I looked away quickly hoping he wouldn't see me, but it was too late, I heard him call my name.

I hesitated before I walked over; figuring that I'd say hi, ask him where Dally was, and then I'd leave. I should have known better.

"Sarah Cade! Haven't seen you around since...since Dallas Winston busted up my face a while back." He went to grab at me but I stepped back. "Oh come on cookie, that was a bad night for both of us, we're all good now."

I crossed my arms over my chest, "Tom, I'm not interested in knowing whether we're on good terms or not, I was wondering if you'd seen Dally around."

Tom laughed and stood, "You aren't still hanging off of him are you Cookie?" He took a step forward and grabbed me by the hips. "You know, I'm sure I know a lot more tricks than ole Dally does."

I felt a tremor rock my body as I remember what had almost happen to me when those Soc had grabbed me in much the same fashion. "Tom, just piss off." I went to push him away but he held on close.

"There's going to be a bit of a brawl here tonight, I'll make sure you don't get involved though Cookie, maybe we'll find an empty room upstairs. He began to pull me in the direction of the back stair case when I punched him in the gut.

"You slime ball! Don't ever touch me again!" His grip on my waist loosened long enough for me to step away from him, but I couldn't contain myself, I went back and kicked him in the shin. "Touch me again and I'll aim higher, you here me Day!" I stormed off in the direction of the pool table while Tom took a seat and began drinking again.

I was startled when I saw Dally leaning up against the wall, casually as he may have thought he seemed, I knew he had heard what had just happened. He looked at me with his cocky grin spread across his face. Whatever feelings he was trying to cover, he covered well, I couldn't tell what he was thinking. I stood in the doorway for a minute, just looking at him, knowing everything I wanted to tell him, but I needed to wipe that stupid grin off his face before I could say anything. I took a step towards him, my heart racing a mile a minute. I walked until I stood right in front of him.

"Looks like you can take care of yourself, it's about time." He said coldly, and finally I recognized that look, I saw what he was trying to hide from me. I looked him in the eyes, willing them to show my sincerity, and stepping onto my tiptoes I leaned in and kissed him.

Of all things, I knew Dally was least expecting this, but he adjusted quickly. He wrapped his arms around my lower back and pulled me in closer. I wish that we could have stayed like that forever, but I had things I needed to tell him. I kissed him quickly a few times and stepped down from my tiptoes resting my head on his chest.

"Dally, so much has happened, and although we may not like talking about the past, it's the past that forms who we are in the future. I've made so many mistakes, I've said and done things I never should have. I've cried for reasons I can't explain and I've stayed calm during situations that would render someone incapable of a coherent thought." I turned my head so I was looking back into his eyes, "This world moves so fast, and if we don't hold on tight, we're going to fall off. If we can't hold onto each other, we've got nothing." I placed my cheek back to his chest, feeling every intake of breath that he took.

One of Dally's hands began to play with a loose strand of my hair, as he replied softly, "But you never let me keep you in my arms."

"But Dally," I replied, "I've never let go of you." When that realization sunk in for both of us, it was like bricks had been lifted from our shoulders. "I never will." I said facing him again. This time he brought his hand to my chin and tilted it up, his own mouth meeting with mine. There were no frantic kisses, these were slow, tender, and beautiful. I savoured his taste, as he did mine. Our lips didn't crash together, they moulded together.

He pulled back slightly, a chance for us both to catch our breath. I couldn't help myself; a giggle escaped my lips as though I were a toddler in a candy store. When Dally looked at me with a "what was that?" twinkle in his eyes, I burst out laughing, and it wasn't long before he did too. We kissed each other gently again, he kissed the soft parts of my neck and I began to feel the tingling feeling from my toes to my eyebrows. I'm not sure if Dally would have taken me to his room at that point or not, because that's when we heard the fight break out.

I couldn't tell you what they were fighting over, and it was one greasy gang against another. This was no Soc/Greaser rumble, this was a dispute amongst ourselves. The fight was taking place outside and in the front half of the Dingo. I looked to Dally and he kept his arm tight around my waste. It was obvious that we weren't getting involved. I looked around to the other people still in the Dingo, and in the commotion of what was going on in the front room no one seemed to notice the dispute happening between a girl around my age and an older hood, just off to the side of the bar. I wouldn't have paid much attention to them on a regular day, but after having a moment like the one I'd had with Dally, I thought back to when he'd rescued me from the Socs, and in the back of my mind I couldn't help but wonder if that was what was happening between the girl and hood.

When he grabbed her waist and pulled her into him I saw her try to push him away. It was impossible for her, she wouldn't have had even enough force to push Ponyboy away. When she looked around the room, tears springing from her eyes, I couldn't take it anymore. I took Dally's hand, lowered it from my waist, and proceeded to march over to the disputing pair.

"Hey! I don't think she's into that tonight." I said coming up behind the girl, but staring into the gray eyes of the dark haired hood.

"I don't think I asked for you fucking opinion." I wasn't at all pleased with the hoods tone, and this wasn't a fight I was about give up on. I heard a smash from behind me and turned to see Tom and Dally circling each other in the pool room. Tom already had a bloody lip. My first instinct was to yell at them to both smarten the hell up, but was brought back to the situation I had entered myself into when the girl whimpered after the hood grabbed her wrist tightly and meant to pull her away with him.

"No so fast," I said grabbing the young girls other hand, "You're not taking her anywhere, so piss off!"

"I'm getting fed up with you now you bratty little broad. Back off!" He pulled on the young girl's wrist, and I heard it snap along with her screech.

It was instinct, my hand balled into a fist and before I could control myself it made impact with his jaw. The next few actions to take place happened in slow motion. I heard another smash behind me and looked back towards Dally and Tom. Dally had rammed Tom into the wall across from me and was just standing back up. He turned to face me and I saw a look I wish I'd never seen. His eyes grew wide, his body tensed; I thought he must have been hurt, stabbed, or worse.

What I didn't see was what the hood had pulled from the inside of his leather jacket pocket. But I heard the shot and I felt it pierce through my back. I didn't feel anything after that. I landed on the floor I'm sure, but I don't remember falling. I tried to open my eyes, but they were growing so heavy. I felt a surge of pain suddenly and heard myself scream out in agony. My eyes shot open and I was looking into Dally's tear stained face. He'd rolled me over and my head was in his lap. My eyes closed again, and I tried opening them but nothing was working. My head was filled with images of Two-Bit, Darry, Ponyboy, Steve, Dally and Johnny. I was able to force my eyes open again and saw Dally the most upset I'd ever seen him.

"Sarah, you're going to be okay." His words were like small wisps of wind. "Keep looking at me Sarah, do you hear me?" I could hear him, but just barely.

I tried to keep my eyes open like he wanted but the heaviness seeped back. In my mind I saw visions of Johnny's 5th birthday, of days spent with Soda and Steve at the Rodeo. I saw the gang cheering for Darry as he played football, and my first kiss with Dally when he'd first gotten back from New York. Visions flashed before me and that's when I knew it was coming. I forced my eyes open one last time, I tried to speak but it was impossible, nothing but my butterfly like eye lids would move, and even that was difficult. One final time my eyes met with Dally's, before I felt the only world I'd ever known fall away from me.

_**The end has come. One more chapter left. Please review. **_


	16. Epilogue

Ponyboy's POV

_The Dingo is a pretty rough hangout; there's always a fight going on there and once a girl got shot._

That girl was like a sister to us all. She never judged any of us, and loved us all just as we were. Sarah's the reason we are who we are. Dally takes care of Johnny because I he blames himself for Sarah's death. I heard him one time talking about it to Darry when I was supposed to be asleep. It was a couple weeks after the funeral and none of us had seen much of Dally, except for Johnny that is.

I heard Dally say "I let her go. After everything she said, I let her go. I should have gone after her, but Tom Day was just asking for it. She didn't look like she was in trouble. She said she never let me go, but she's gone now because I did." What I heard next was something I never wanted to hear again. Dally's sobs made my chest tighten. I heard Darry comforting him, but it wasn't long before I heard him begin to cry as well.

I turned to my side after that, covering my ears with my hands. I didn't want to listen to it anymore. I thought of Johnny, and what he must be going through. Johnny pretty well lived at our place now, and when he wasn't here, I knew he slept in the vacant lot. Johnny doesn't talk as much as he used to. He didn't talk much originally but I've noticed that he doesn't even talk as much to me. He thinks about her all the time, I can tell. Whenever he's all quiet like, whenever any of us are all quiet you know what we're thinking about.

She took care of us, as we took care of her. I'll never forget her sitting on the curb with me, just holding me like my mom would have. That was the last time I saw her, which I guess is better than the last time Steve, Sodapop, or Darry had seen her. Two-Bit saw her last, and I know he feels a lot of responsibility for what happened too. He drinks a lot more now, acts happy but that's just what it is, an act. Dally has it worst of all, he watched her die.

I know it's not his fault, but his word is all we have to go on, and he's not saying much. He won't talk about who did it, why they did it, and why he didn't get to her soon enough to move her out of the way. All we knew was the blood stained t-shirt he's been wearing when he'd said the few words, "Sarah's been shot. She's gone."

After all that happened, Sarah's death, Johnny getting beat by the Socs, killing the one Soc, us running away to Jay Mountain together, the rumble, and Johnny's death, it shouldn't have come as a shock that Dally couldn't handle it anymore. I still hear the shots ringing out from the night that Dally got shot. I hear them often and imagine both Dally and Sarah falling at the same time. In Johnny's letter, he asked me to get Dally to watch a sunset, and I think that with Johnny, Dally and Sarah in the same place, that they must watch the sunset together every night.

_**And so is the end of my fanfic **__**Sarah Cade **__**I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing! Please, I greatly appreciate all of your reviews, especially those for this final chapter, as it is my last. **_


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